The List
by JeskaWood
Summary: Bella's a strong independent woman but where has her life really taken her? She's got a job, but no real life to speak of. No lover, no kids, nothing...Feeling lost and alone on her 30th birthday she drunkenly writes a list of things she's never done before but has always wanted to. Maybe life really does begin at thirty? Rated M for adult content.Originally posted under Jayeliwood
1. Chapter 1

_The List_

_Bella's thirty but where has her life really taken her? She's got a job, but no real life to speak of. No lover, no kids, nothing... Feeling lost and alone on her birthday she drunkenly writes a list of things she's never done before but has always wanted to. Maybe life really does begin at thirty?_

**Originally posted in 2009 under Jayeliwood.**

**As always, tis not perfect. If you see any mistakes or typos, please let me know nicely, precisely, or not at all. I am more than willing to fix anything but I am doing this on my own and merely human. Thank you for your kindness and understanding in advance. **

**Enjoy! **

**Thirty**

**September 2009-**

Okay, so I will admit it. I didn't handle the big three O that well. At all. But, in my defense, when I was twenty and I envisioned the day it went much differently in my head. I figured I would be surrounded by my friends, my kids, and would be eating cake while in the arms in my hunky husband. Not home alone with my fat ass on the couch eating cake and watching reruns.

Not even my mother came to see me on my birthday. _What the hell?_

Of course not. She was too busy running around with her new _hunky_ husband.

Dammit. WHERE THE HELL IS MY HUNKY HUSBAND?!

I will also admit that I had gotten myself very drunk. It was my birthday and I deserved champagne. Maybe not a bottle and a half's worth, but I drank it anyway. I wanted to indulge.

As I laid there I thought about my life and what it had become.

The first and only thing that really came to mind was my business. I was a web designer and I had been doing extremely well since I went out on my own. I had almost fifty small local companies that kept me working. I could even work mainly in my pajamas at home if I wanted to. How many people could say that?

But what else was there?

I had no friends. I did at some point or at least I thought I did. When I was with my ex we were always surrounded by this wonderful group of people. But when he met his true love, and I mean _out of his mind crazy in love_ soul mate, that group disappeared. It was just too awkward for me and for them. And I knew where their loyalty laid.

With Jacob. Always with their 'brother'.

Not that I blamed him or them. He deserved his love and happiness. And he did it the right way. He never cheated and he never lied. He was very upfront about the whole thing. I think most guys could learn from Jacob on that matter. He was always such a nice guy. He made it very hard to be angry at him.

I guess I could be a bit pissed about the part where they only dated six months before they got married and we dated for six years without a single peep about marriage.

And, about the fact that she was only in her very early twenties.

Also, his young bride looked like a fricken supermodel and I was a fat ass.

Okay, my grapes were a wee bit sour. But as I gazed at the television I couldn't find the will to care. I wasn't even sure what I was watching. It was black and white and everyone was smiling.

Except for me.

_Fuckers._

I don't know what made me snap but I threw myself a little tantrum, throwing the remote across the room and growled loudly. Sitting up, I ran my fingers through my mussed up hair.

"Come on! I'm better than this! Life is supposed to be better than this!"

I tried to find someone to blame in my mind for my life. I really did. But there was no one to blame but myself. I was the only one that allowed me to get that way.

"How did I get this way?" I asked myself in frustration.

_Fear_, a little voice in the back of my head said quietly.

"There are so many things I wanted to do with my life. When did I get so scared? There are so many things I've never done."

Maybe one of the things I needed to do was see a therapist. Lord knows that talking to myself probably wasn't at all healthy.

I laid my head against the back of the couch, looking up at the ceiling. I needed to talk to my mother. She would know what to do. She had always been so young at heart. Nothing ever slowed her down. Even in her early fifties, she was out there living her life. I picked up the phone and dialed her number.

She answered on the sixth ring, sounding breathless, "hey, baby girl! I knew there was something I forgot to do today. Happy birthday!"

"Gee, mom. Thanks. I feel loved," I mumbled, rubbing my forehead roughly.

"Sorry," she giggled. There was squealing in the background then laughter. "Phillip! Stop it! Honestly, I'm on the phone with Bella! Give me a minute."

"What are you doing?" I asked before I could think about. Gagging a little bit, I shivered at the most obvious answer. _Things you didn't want to think about your mother doing..._

"Oh," she laughed, "Phil is helping me scratch out things on my list."

"Your list?" I said, once again before I could think about it. "Do I want to know?"

"Get your mind out of the gutter! Honestly, Isabella. If we were having sex I wouldn't have answered the phone, silly child. No, we're in the middle of a field, looking up at the stars."

"And what does this have to do with a list?"

"It was on a list of things I want to do before I die. One of them is going out to the middle of a field and watch a meteor shower. There were about fifty things. Phil has helped me with about twenty of them," she gave a little sigh and I could practically hear the smile in her voice. "The first one was that thing, Phil. Do you remember? In the woods. I had bug bites in the worst places after that."

"OH! God! Did I need to hear that?" I asked, another little gag hanging in the back of my throat.

"Well, Bella, I'm still a very sexually act-"

"Okay, mom, I didn't call to hear about your sex life," I told her. At this point, I was trying to remember why I called her. _Oh, to make myself feel better. _It didn't seem to be working though.

"Sorry," she snapped at me before laughing at something on the other side of the phone. "Isabella, honey, I need to go. It's starting! I'll call you tomorrow! Love you! Happy birthday."

And she hung up.

I guess Renee was just too busy living her own life.

I threw the phone beside me on the couch, placing my hands in my lap with a small pout on my face. She was busy living her life. Why couldn't I live my life?

"I need one of those damn lists," I mumbled to myself. "All the things I want to do that I've never done. The things I need to do before I turn thirty-one."

_Then write it_, the voice whispered. Honestly, I was never going to drink that much again but if the voice was going to talk to me then I was going to answer it. It was rude not to.

"Where do I start?" I asked my brain.

_With a piece of paper and a pen..._

I looked at my college ruled paper and purple pen for a good thirty minutes, just sipping on another glass of champagne before I began writing anything. And then the words just began to pour from me.

_Reconnect with a friend I've lost._

_I've never been a size ten. Lose whatever it takes to get to that weight!_

_I've never been given an orgasm by someone else. (How sad!? Change that!)_

_Just take the next flight to anywhere, no matter where it is_

_Go to London_

_Kiss a total stranger_

_Go to an event that requires formal wear_

_Love myself_

_Dance in the Rain_

_Play hide and seek (I don't care if it's dorky. I'm not too old.)_

_I've never gotten high before (Yeah, I know, not exactly legal but I've always been curious)_

_I've never told someone off_

_Go to a Casino_

_Get a tattoo_

_Buy a pair of high heels and actually wear them_

_Flirt and have it work (You know what I mean)_

_Take dance lessons_

_Make a new dish a week, a healthy one_

_Join a gym_

_Go on a blind date_

_Go to a concert_

_Stay at a bed and breakfast_

_Plant a tree_

_Do something truly kinky_

_Go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans_

_Do something crafty_

_Buy something from Tiffany's for me_

_Visit a Winery_

_Throw a party_

_Make a homemade cake_

_Learn to knit (I know it's connected to crafty, I don't care)_

_Go to a baseball game_

_Go Ripley's believe it or not_

_Buy fancy knickers (ha ha ha)_

_Stay up and watch the sunrise_

_Try Greek Food_

_Take a self-defense course_

_Stay at a 5-star hotel for no good reason_

_Go to a Spa_

_Try French Food (Geez, I'm going to eat a lot of food. I don't seem to care)_

_Try at least 10 different beers from different countries_

_Go to a gay club_

_Celebrate Halloween_

_Buy a two-piece bathing suit (once I'm a size ten) and go swimming in it- in front of people_

_Go to a dance club_

_Dye my hair some crazy color_

_Go to a double feature_

_Sunbathe_

_Grow some sort of plant_

_Finally, read Interview with a Vampire (always wanted to but never gotten around to it)_

_Clean up my language_

It took me thirty minutes before the ideas stopped. I couldn't think of anything else but I was sure there was more. More fun things that I had never done before but wanted to. They would just have to wait until next year. It was a big enough list. I doubt I could do all of them as it was but I didn't care. I could do at least some. Aim high.

And some is always better than nothing.

In my drunken state, I decided to get started right away. There was no better time than the present and no better place to start than with number one.

And how does one go about looking up lost friends? I considered that website that had all the schools and you could sign up to look for your friends but that one cost money. I was cheap. So, I decided to go with a simpler and cheaper option.

Besides, EVERYONE was on Facebook. I had just seen something on the news the other day that said if Facebook was a country it would be the third largest, or something insane like that.

Everyone was on it except for me anyway. I got my laptop and quickly typed in the website before I could worm my way out of it with some sort of _Bella logic_. Before I could chicken out.

It took me twenty minutes to get it all set up with a picture and everything. I even put business information up for my little company. It could be a good opportunity to advertise for free.

And before I could even begin searching for people that used to go to my high school I had a friend request from a familiar name. And with the friend request came a message.

_Mary Alice Brandon Whitlock_

_Bella Swan! Is that you? Gosh, we were like my best friend in high school! Are you still in the Dallas area?! Me and my husband (You remember Jasper, right? The cute cowboy? Anyway...) just moved back! It would be great to get in touch with you again! _

"Holy mother," I laughed to myself. "That was quick."

Of course, I remembered Alice and Jasper. They were great friends to me back in the day. They were crazy in love with each other too, even back then. We lost touch after they went to school in California together though. I wondered if Alice was still the same happy little thing she used to be. Her peppy little personality might just be what I needed to perk up my boring life.

But, I knew there was only one way I would be able to find that out for sure.

_Accept friend request. _

**So, there's the first chapter! I'm going to try to update this one three times a week until I'm done with editing. **

**Who remembers reading this before and who's reading it for the first time?**

**Reviews are motivation. Motivation equals faster editing. Faster Editing equals faster updates. Therefore, reviews equal faster updates. It's simple math, really. **

**You can follow me on facebook- Jeska Elizabeth and twitter- kinda_randompic. And, as always, fave and alert for more. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first chapter!**

**Starting off with a bang**

_Hey, Alice! It's so good to hear from you! Yup, I'm still in the Dallas area. My email address is Iswandesigns at gmail dot com. Drop me a line and we'll get together for lunch sometime! _

I wrote her back, smiling to myself as I went over to her facebook page. It was easy to tell that she was on there constantly. She had hundreds of friends and dozens of pictures and videos, especially of her new very beautiful home. No wonder she was so quick to respond to me.

My email dinged less than two minutes later.

_I adore your email address and the name of your business. It's adorable and brilliant! Anyway, we must have lunch sometime this week! I've yet to find anyone here in Dallas and I could really use a friend. I'll put my number down at the bottom. Give me a call so we can set up a date. _

_Oh, and Happy Birthday, girl! Don't think I didn't remember. _

A person I hadn't seen in a decade could remember my birthday but my own mother couldn't. That was a shame. But, it still made me smile. And in my drunken state, I decided to call, once again, before I chicken out.

"Hello, Hello, Hello!" She said cheerfully. "Happy Birthday, Bella!"

"I warn you that I'm kind of drunk," I snorted at her happy tone.

"Oh, did we have a wild and crazy big three O?" Alice asked, sounding exactly the way she did the last time I saw her. Way too perky.

"Not exactly," I mumbled.

"What do you mean, _not exactly_?"

"I've been sitting here on my couch, alone, drinking champagne and eating fried chicken out of a bucket. Alone is the keyword."

"You mustn't drink alone. People always find out," Alice quoted, making me smile.

"I see _Gone with the Wind_ is still one of your favorite movies," I told her with a sigh. "I know drinking alone is bad and all but I didn't have anyone else to drink with. It's been a rough three years or so."

"What happened?" She asked in a kind and soft voice and I could just imagine her giving me a hug as she used to in high school. I was never one for personal contact but Alice always seemed to make it okay. I had never met anyone else who had that ability.

I blubbered the entire story out to her. I told her about Jacob and his new wife, Vanessa. About how all my friends were really only his friends that tolerated me. How my mother was too busy being sexed up by her twenty or so years younger husband. A man who was only a year older than me. A man that should have been going for ME and not HER. How even my mother forgot my birthday. At least I had lunch with my dad the day before.

He got me a new canister of mace for my purse. Happy birthday to me.

_Oh, joy!_

And then I told her about my mother's list and then my own.

"Well, that settles it, my dear! You are coming over to my house tomorrow for lunch and I will help you with your list," Alice informed me in a no-nonsense sort of way.

"Al, I didn't tell you all this to make you feel bad for me. I'm not going to guilt you into helping me improve my loser self."

"Shut up!" She told me harshly. "I know you wouldn't. I remember how you are. You're stubborn and don't ask for help. Maybe that should be something you add to your list. You're going to get my help whether you like it or not!"

"Same old Mary Alice," I quipped, smirking to myself.

"Same old stubborn Isabella Marie," she laughed. "Look, I'm bored. It seems like both of us need some sort of inspiration. Let's help each other. Okay?"

"Okay," I breathed, nodding to myself.

She gave me her address to her new house and I realized she was only like a ten-minute drive away from my apartment. It would be easy enough to find her place. It was in one of the nicest neighborhoods in the area and the houses in it tended to be huge. She and Jasper must have done well for themselves. That was something nice to think about. Alice was always good at anything she put her mind to.

The next day I surprisingly didn't have much of a hangover. I could always hold my liquor well. I guess it was my size. I guess being a size sixteen did have its plus side. If I were a size two I would have been yakking up my guts. I wouldn't have been very good lunch company.

But there I was at 11:45, pulling up to the very beautiful ranch style home with my already crumpled up list in my pocket, feeling just about normal for me. Which really wasn't saying all that much.

Alice opened the front door and ran to me before I could even get to the sidewalk leading up to her front door. She was still as cute and as perfect as ever, not that I expected anything different. And she still didn't seem to mind throwing herself into a hug.

"You look so good!" Her legs dangled off the ground even from my mere height of five foot five. I forgot she was so short. I always used to tease her about being an inch taller than a midget, especially compared to her giant of a boyfriend.

"Ah, you still lie so good!" I cooed, wrapping her up and lifting her slightly. When I put her down she slapped my shoulder, frowning.

"Stop that! I hope raising your self-esteem is on your list," she said, grabbing my hand and dragging me towards her house. I was instantly blown away by the interior. I shouldn't have been surprised though. Alice always did have great taste and always wanted things to be just so.

"Actually, it's not," I informed her as I stopped to look at an interesting abstract painting. "Wow, that's beautiful."

"You like it?"

"It's amazing. Who did that?"

"I did!" She smiled. "It's one of my favorites."

"Good gravy, baby! I hope you're selling these things because I bet there would be a market for them," I told her, looking at her with a big smile at my dorky phrases. It reminded me of high school.

"Jasper might be a great baker, but I don't think he makes that much dough!" She giggled. "That's how we've afforded this place. It just proves that people in California will buy just about anything."

"They're really gorgeous though, Al. And, Jasper's a baker?" I laughed. "That's awesome."

"Oh, yes! He's actually done really well for himself as well. He's in the process of opening up a bakery here. And he just put out a cookbook on cakes," she said, finally dragging me away from the painting. I don't know what it was about it, but I just loved it. It was more than just the color. There seemed to be some sort of hidden message mixed in the paint somewhere. Some kind of hope for a better life. It was cheerful.

"How are you not chunky? If I had a man that could bake I'd be four hundred and sixty thousand pounds," I laughed, finally getting back into the conversation.

Alice giggled and shrugged her shoulders as she led me into a living room. Waiting for us was a meal on the coffee table of Chinese. She still remembered my favorites. It was kind of awesome. "I worked out a lot in California. I haven't really had a chance to here yet. If I don't soon I will be."

And then she plopped down on the floor like it was nothing. I frowned, trying to remember the last time I was willingly on the floor. It was a long time ago.

"You know you're going to have to help my fat ass up, right?" I snarked, plopping down next to her.

"Yeah yeah, woman. I've seen bigger. You know you're average, right?"

"Average sucks ass," I told her. She threw her head back and laughed hard.

"You know, I couldn't agree more. Now, hand over the list, sweetie," she said, holding out her tiny little hand. I smirked, pulling the folded up piece of paper out of my pocket and passed it to her.

"Just don't get Lo mein on it, okay?" I teased, picking up a pair of chopsticks. She smirked, picking up her own pair before unfolding the list to read.

We ate in silence as she read it over. Honestly, it scared me a little and I wasn't totally sure why. It wasn't like I was seeking her approval or anything. I didn't care what anyone thought about my little list but just something about it... it just made me uncomfortable. When Alice finally spoke, she made me jump. I was just a tad too deep in my own thoughts.

"I can help you with a lot of these and we can begin today."

"Seriously?" I mumbled through a bite of rice. I swallowed hard. "You really want to help me?"

"Shoot! Totally. This looks like a lot of fun and girl, I need me some fun."

"So, you don't think it's stupid?" I asked quietly, pushing my plate away.

"Not at all," she smiled, patting my hand gingerly. "In fact, I think a lot of these we can knock out in groups. You'll have to do at least one or two things a week though, besides the cooking and getting healthy part if you want to get it all done before your thirty first."

"Yeah, I know. Some of them I don't even know how I'm going to do," I replied, rubbing the back of my neck. "Like that one," I said, pointing to the one involving slightly illegal activity. I felt my cheeks heat up in embarrassment. It was kind of odd to admit that to anyone. My dad was a sheriff and I was such a goodie-goodie growing up. I just wanted to do it once to see what it was like.

Alice actually scoffed. "That's probably one of the easiest things on your list!"

"Okay. This is not California. And anyway, first off, I have to get up the courage to find someone who has the stuff and then have the courage to actually-" Alice popped up from the floor and went over to a bookshelf full of knick-knacks across the room. She was back within seconds with a little wooden box.

"Bella, honestly! I'm an artist!" She said, opening the box and showing me what was inside. I laughed when I saw the little white wooden pipe and the baggie full of green stuff that looked like oregano. "I promise I don't do anything heavier. I just need to relax every once in a while. What do you say? Want to cross something off your list?"

I bit my lip, considering it for a moment before I nodded. Hopping up to my feet with a surprising amount of agility, I let her lead me to another part of the house.

Thirty minutes later I was in Alice's kitchen sitting around her island, laughing my ass off.

"Suck in! Honestly. You've never smoked a cigarette or anything, have you?" Alice asked, laughing. She was much better at it than I was.

I hacked up smoke until it came curling out of my nose. "No," I coughed, laughing too. I was beginning to feel a slight buzz in the back of my head. That could have been from the amazing brownies that Jasper had made though. Major sugar rush.

"Alright. Take another hit. This time hold your nose and swallow down as hard as you can," Alice said, holding the lighter for me so I could plug my nose and hold the pipe at the same time. I did as she said, swallowing several times. The taste was odd, but not really bad.

You would think by your fifteenth try you would get it. I would never be a stoner, that was for sure.

It felt like I had been holding my breath forever by the time I released the smoke from my lungs. I leaned back against the stool, feeling a weird rush up the bridge of my nose to my brain.

"Like that?"

She laughed, nodding her head before taking the pipe from me. Alice took a long drag, holding it down a bit more gracefully than I had before. It was only like her third hit. "You know, if you want to get healthy we shouldn't do this too much. We've eaten almost all the brownies."

"I'm not going to be a size ten that way, huh?!" I laughed, not knowing why I was giggling. "Mm, cake!" I said, pointing to a pretty crystal stand holding a half a chocolate cake. My mouth literally began to water.

Alice snorted, taking the lid off of it before going to get two forks. She handed me one and sat back down.

"You know, we started smoking in college- Jasper and me. And because we were dorks we used a 'code name' for it. We called it cake because I ALWAYS wanted some damn cake when I was high. You know, we'd get baked and eat cake," she giggled. "That's how Jasper started cooking! He loved to make different kinds of cakes for me. Still does."

"That's awesome," I smiled, taking a big bite of the amazing cake. "Mmmmm, we need milk."

"When you're right, my darling, you are right!" She said, fetching us two glasses. Alice placed them down on the countertop between us before tapping her pretty fingernail on the list. "You can do all of this, you know that?"

"How?" I asked with a sigh, taking another bite of cake. I felt like a bottomless pit.

"A ton of these are easy! You just have to get up and do them. Some of them involve others," she wiggled her eyebrows at me playfully, "but I think once you gain a bit of confidence it'll be easy enough."

"If you say so."

"I do! And I'm always right!" Alice said, holding her chin up.

"Sure. That's just what you want everyone to believe!" Someone said in a thick southern drawl from behind.

"Jazzy!" Alice squealed, running up to him. I turned around in my seat and almost fell out of it. There was the most beautiful man I had ever seen standing beside the still extremely handsome Jasper. He was young, baby faced, with a huge amount of red hair that went everywhere and a few adorable freckles. I couldn't seem to focus anywhere but on his deep green eyes though which seemed to be locked on my own. I wondered where the tunnel vision came from all of a sudden but then I remembered a very important fact.

I was high.

"Ooo!" Alice drew out, hanging in Jasper's arms. She got a very evil look in her eye as she focused on me. "Bella, this is Edward. He's really awesome and he's a total stranger."

"What?" I asked, confused.

"The list!" She hissed loudly. I could tell that she was trying to whisper but it just wasn't working. I was glad to see I wasn't the only one affected by the stuff we were doing. "Really? It's on the list! The stranger one."

_The list? The stranger one? _I thought back, trying to remember when I felt a strong pair of arms shove me towards the beautiful stranger and off the stool. Alice was stronger than I remembered. Practically falling against his solid chest, Edward's arms automatically wrapped around me to keep my ass from falling to the floor. As I looked up into his handsome face, I saw his plush lips and then remembered.

_Kiss a stranger. _

And, I just went for it.

My hands went to either side of his face, pulling him down for a kiss. He seemed really shocked at first but quickly began to melt into it, his arms tightening around me. His lips were very smooth and they tasted like something really good. Something I couldn't put my finger on at that moment. I could have just eaten him up.

"What the hell?" I heard someone ask in the background before I heard Alice giggle.

"Remember I told you about Bella having a list? One of the things on there was _kissing a stranger,_" she explained to her very confused husband.

"Was getting really _really_ high another one of them?" He laughed.

"Yup," she popped the final letter in the word.

That entire bit of conversation was still going on while we were basically making out in the middle of their kitchen. Not that Edward seemed to notice. After what seemed like forever, he pulled away but he didn't loosen his grip on me one bit. That was a very good thing because my ass would have gone to the ground like a rock.

"Hi. I'm Edward," he smiled down at me, speaking in a thick English accent. I think my legs turned to _Bella goo_. I was officially a new type of Jello.

"I'm Bella," I drawled, looking up at him with a furious flush.

"Bella, you taste like chocolate," he laughed. "I think that was the best greeting I've ever gotten before. Wow."

I finally remembered myself and reluctantly pulled away from him, looking down at the floor.

"Man, do I get kissed? I want to be greeted like that!" Jasper laughed, pulling me into a quick hug and pressed a kiss to my cheek. "So good to see you again, Bella!"

"Good to see you too," I blushed, feeling highly embarrassed.

"So, if you girls don't mind can you take this party elsewhere? My parents are coming over in two hours and I need to start cooking," Jasper informed us.

"Oh, God! I'm imposing! I'm so sorry!" I said, going over and snatching up my list and shoving it in my pocket. "I should go."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Alice said, shaking her head. "It's fine, sweetie! You don't have to go yet. And don't be so paranoid. You're not imposing at all."

"Are you sure?" I asked, biting my lip. Shaking my head, mainly to myself. "I really should go. I need to get some work done at home."

"You're not driving in your condition." Jasper frowned at me.

"Jasper's right," Alice agreed.

"Hey. I should get going myself," Edward said, placing a hand on my back to get my attention. "I could take you home. Where do you live?"

His hand felt like fire. Or, maybe it was just me. I wasn't sure.

"Like ten minutes down the street," I said, thinking to myself if that would work or not. It wasn't like I had anywhere to go that night or the following day. I didn't need my car.

"Oh! That would be good. And, tomorrow Jasper and I can drop off your car. We can do lunch or something again and talk about the list," Alice clapped her hands.

I looked at Edward and considered my options. I hadn't known the man for ten minutes but I had already kissed him. He seemed to be friends with Alice and Jasper so they trusted them. And if anything happened to me, they would say that I was last seen with him.

"If you don't mind?" I asked him.

"It would be my honor," he said with a sweeping arm gesture, making me giggle. I could tell he was kind of a dork, but I had always liked dorks.

"Okay," I nodded. I gave Alice a quick hug goodbye and waved at Jasper. Less than five minutes later we were riding down the street to my home.

"So, may I ask why you kissed me?" Edward laughed, looking over at me when we were stopped at a red light. "Not that I minded it."

"No," I answered back quickly, shaking my head.

Okay, maybe I was a _little_ paranoid.

"Okay," he said, snickering. "That bad?"

"I'm just embarrassed is all. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Your wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, or whatever will probably beat my ass."

"I have none of the above," he informed me. I felt so out of place in his tiny vintage sports car. I had no idea what it was. A Camaro, maybe? It was well taken care of, I could tell that much, even if it wasn't in perfect condition.

"Well, that's some comfort. It's bad enough that I threw my chunky self at you. I'm sure a good looking guy like you gets a lot better offers than me," I sighed, looking out of the window. We were getting close and I would have to fight the urge to jump out of the car as soon as it stopped to run.

"Are you fishing for compliments?" I heard him say in an amused voice beside me.

"What?"

"You are a beautiful woman. I wouldn't have kissed you back if I didn't want to."

"Like I'm your type," I snorted, rolling my eyes.

"You are, actually. I happen to be extremely attracted to brunettes," Edward said smoothly as he pulled up into a parking space in front of my building.

"That's not what I meant," I said in a small voice.

"I know," he said quietly. "Come on. Let me walk you up. I won't feel right until I'm sure you're safely back in your apartment." He was out of the car before I could say anything, opening the door for me like I was a lady or something. Edward held his strong hand out to me, his fingers long and nimble.

I wanted to suck on them like they were lollipops. I wanted to suck on him like he was a lollipop. Talk about Blow Pop.

Why was my mind wandering so badly?

_Oh yeah, I'm still high. That's why. _

I took his hand and climbed out of the car. "Thanks for this," I said softly as I began to walk up to the building. At least I was able to talk like a normal person.

"It's my pleasure," he assured me as we got to the elevator. I figured he would leave me there but Edward followed after me. I clicked the button to the sixth floor, leaning against the side. "This is a really nice building. You must be good at whatever you do."

I flushed, looking down at my feet. "I own my own business. I work from my home so I like it to be as nice as possible."

"That's awesome. What type of business?"

Was this awkward conversation, or was it just me? I couldn't tell.

"Computers."

"Wow, you don't meet many women in the computer biz," he said. I nearly jumped for joy when the elevator dinged. I walked out quickly, fishing my keys out of my purse. I needed to get away from the embarrassment as quickly as possible and eat whatever was in my fridge.

"So, this is mine," I said, walking up to the door and opening it swiftly. "Thanks again."

"Bella, wait," he said, his smooth accent rubbing against my ears like silk. He could make a woman melt with that voice. I turned to face him and he was merely inches away. Damn, he smelled good, too. "Thank you."

"For what?" I stuttered out, my eyes focusing as hard as they could on his smooth pink lips. When his tongue flicked out to moisten them slightly, in what felt like slow motion, I actually shivered.

"For kissing me earlier. It was probably the best kiss I've ever had."

"Really?" I asked in surprise.

"Best tasting, too," he chuckled charmingly. "In fact, you still have some chocolate on your lips."

"Oh, God!" I groaned in embarrassment. My hand flew up to my face, only to find his there already. I gasped softly, my eyes meeting his.

"Let me help you with that."

For the second time in less than an hour, my lips were pressed against those of a _complete _stranger.

And I didn't care one single bit.

**Just a FYI, this will be the only chapter with any drug use. lol Cake is based on a true story. If I remember correctly lots of people told me their fun code words last time. I look forward to them again. **

**Go Bella, get you some Englishman. Who thought that would take longer to get off the list?**

**If you enjoyed, fave and alert for more! You can follow me on twitter- kinda_randompic or facebook- Jeska Elizabeth! And remember, reviews=motivation :D **

**Thanks for reading! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Two more things off the list**

I stumbled backward against the door, hitting it with a thud as my hand searched for the doorknob. All while still making out with the gorgeous Edward, I might add. My other hand clutched his side, holding onto his gray tee shirt for all that I was worth. Finally, somehow, I got the door open.

"May I come in?" He asked in a smile against my mouth. Edward was so close that I could feel the movement against them.

"Mm," was how I answered, forcing my lips back onto his with a hand on the back of his head. His hair was so soft and I tugged on it gently when it became tangled around my fingers.

Edward groaned loudly as he walked us into my apartment, kicking the door shut rather loudly. I threw my keys and purse down, probably on the floor, without detaching my lips from his.

"I take it back," Edward panted when he finally pulled away, his forehead resting against mine.

"Take what back?"

"Earlier being the best kiss. That was the best kiss I've ever had. Just now."

I laughed and pecked his lip, feeling a bit of sweat build up at the base of my neck. Edward was making me so hot. Apparently, I wasn't the only one that noticed the sweat either because he dipped down and began to suckle my neck.

"Ugh," I groaned. I tried to twist away from him but all I managed to do was turn myself away from him with my back against his chest. Which, by the way, was rock hard. His arm wrapped around my waist as he continued to neck on me. I brought my arm up, holding his lips in place. My mind knew I should stop but my body didn't agree. "I've known you for less than an hour."

"I know," he said before nipping at my skin. I shivered against him, praying that I wouldn't combust. I don't think I had ever been that turned on before. Maybe it was the fact that my mind was completely switched off right then but all I was concentrating on was Edward's talented mouth. Or, maybe it was just Edward. "Do you want me to stop?"

"No," I whimpered as he licked up to my ear. He took my earlobe in his mouth in between his teeth and tugged gently. "_Oh_, fuck me," I moaned loudly. I felt his arm tighten around my waist as the other one came up to keep me from falling over.

You know, I would really have to work on cleaning up my language sooner rather than later. It always seemed to get me into some kind of trouble.

"Do you want me to?" Edward whispered sexily in my ear, his deep English accent coming out. "Do you want me to fuck you?"

And _sometimes_ my foul language worked out pretty well for me.

I twisted in Edward's strong arms and pressed my lips against his as I nodded. His hand went to my ass, squeezing it tightly as he brought me closer to him. He had to be a good eight inches taller than me and I could feel his stiff erection pressing against my stomach.

"Couch," I mumbled against his mouth, trying my best to back up without falling over.

With a lot more grace than I thought possible I fell back against my large blue comfy sofa with Edward on top of me.

"Just to let you know, I don't do these sort of things," Edward said against my neck and I nodded stupidly. That obviously wasn't true because he was doing it at that exact moment. And rather well, I might add. "I don't have one night stands."

"Okay," I said before kissing him again lightly. I could honestly care less if Edward did or not. All I could think about was him with me right at that moment. I pressed my hips upwards against his before tugging his mouth back to mine more roughly.

"Jesus, you're sexy," he groaned out, making me feel more beautiful than I had in a very long time. He began to unbutton my shirt, pushing it to the side as he went. That beautiful feeling went away instantly. The last thing I wanted was him to see me with my clothes off.

I was not sure how the whole sex thing would work out that way, but I was determined to figure it out. I wanted to have my cake and to eat it too.

As soon as my shirt was completely unbuttoned he leaned forward and buried his face in between my beige bra covered breasts. With one hand on either one, he kissed the uncovered tops of each. His talented mouth worked it's way over as he pulled the right cup down. I was surprised I didn't stab him in the eye, my nipples were so hard.

Edward ground his erection between my wide open thighs as he worked my flesh over. I was just having a hard time staying still. With each jerk of my body, his teeth grazed over my nearly purple skin. He was giving me a lovely hickey.

"You taste just as delicious all over," he mumbled as he worked his way over to the other side.

He was going to kill me. I was just going to melt.

"That feels good," I breathed out, my hands clutching to him like he would disappear if I didn't.

"I want to make you feel better than good though," he said as he began to kiss down my chest and over my stomach. There was a wicked glint in his green eyes, his nimble fingers working on the button of my jeans.

"Y-you don't have to do that-t," I said as I sat up a little too quickly. All the blood rushed to my head and I fell back against the couch again.

"Shhh," Edward hissed against my belly button before licking it slowly. "I wouldn't do it if I didn't want to."

Once again, I shivered, furthering my theory that I was going to turn into _goo_.

My pants and shoes were on the floor and I barely noticed. _His hands are on my thighs_, my mind screamed. They were hot and smooth and sliding painfully slow up to my very boring light orange panties. Then his hands were the last thing on my mind. It was far too focused on where his mouth was. The dead center of my extremely wet panties. And he was fucking humming. _Humming_, I tell you.

"MOTHER OF GOD!" I groaned, my hips jerking uncontrollably.

"Now this is a pretty view," Edward said, looking up at me from between my legs. I could feel his hot breath against me, teasing me. He let out a soft sigh, rubbing his nose against my swollen clit. "Can't wait to taste you."

Dead.

Kill. Me. _Dead_.

Edward pushed my panties to the side and dragged his hot tongue from the bottom of my very drenched opening to the very top, sliding it between my lips. My legs went completely stiff as my toes pointed. I fought every urge to grab his face and shove it into me, demanding more.

"Fuck, yes," he growled as he literally attacked me. His tongue and fingers were _everywhere_.

Jacob certainly never did this. I mean, he tried to, but it was never like _this_. Never this good. Before I just felt too self-conscious. I just wanted to beg for more. As it was, I was scrambling to pull my panties down to give him better access. I barely got them down to my knees before I fell back against the couch. Edward didn't seem to care in the least.

"Fingers. Use your fingers," I demanded, falling back against the couch after quickly sitting up to look at him. I couldn't stay upright for some reason.

"I plan on using more than my fingers," he said, nipping at my clit.

And then he stopped.

"Son of a _bitch_!" I snapped, heaving myself upwards. Him stopping would motivate me to move anywhere if it meant he would keep going. Edward was smirking to himself as he stood up from the couch. I could just imagine how stupid I looked at the moment with my shirt open, my bra around my stomach and my panties around my knees. My hair was everywhere and I probably had a crazed look in my eyes. I must have been an interesting sight.

Edward held his hand out to me, a smile coming across his face.

"Come on. Take me to your bedroom. We'll both be more comfortable there and I promise to finish what I started."

I took his hand, biting my lip as I hoisted myself up. Easier said than done with underwear around your knees.

"One thing first though," Edward said, stopping me. First, he pushed my shirt off my shoulders and onto the floor. He turned me around, leaning down to kiss my neck as he undid my bra. It fell to the floor next. Then he dropped to his knees behind me and place a little kiss on the center of my back as he pulled down my panties.

Goo. Shivering. Messy. Bella. _Goo. _

Edward took my hips and forced me to turn around while still on his knees. "That is so much better."

"This is so embarrassing," I muttered to myself and Edward frowned, sliding his hands from my hips to my ass.

"Why? Why is it embarrassing?"

"I'm... you know... and you're..."

"So turned on that I can hardly walk," he said, leaning his chin against my stomach. "I want you and badly. What do I need to do to prove it?" Edward breathed as he kissed my soft flesh. Slowly he brought his hand to my knee and bent it until my foot was on my coffee table. He lowered himself down between my legs, his eyes locked on mine the entire time. "Will this?"

He kissed me slowly, kissing each side before kissing in between my lips. Soft, slow, and gentle. Spreading me open with his fingers he closed his eyes as he sucked on me, sliding his other hand from my ass to my very center.

And then Edward finally used his fingers. Two of them pressed inside of me, curling up towards my belly button.

I could officially scratch another thing off my list.

I wailed like a banshee, my entire body shaking with the force of the orgasm. Edward didn't stop though, pumping his fingers in and out quickly as he literally nibbled on me.

He was going to eat me dead.

I literally grabbed the back of his head and pulled him away from my tender flesh with his mouth hanging wide open, his cheeks glistening wet.

_Holy God he is hot. _

"Bed. Bed, now!" I all but squeaked at him. I meant it to be more forceful but my voice didn't seem to want to work with me.

Edward was up and on his feet quicker than I could see. I took his hand and stumbled back to my bedroom and for once I didn't mind that I was sort of an anal neat freak when it came to my room. As soon as we were inside, Edward grabbed me and pulled me to his chest.

"How did I do earlier?"

"Are you crazy? Like you don't know," I said, fumbling with his shirt. Somehow I pulled it over his head and threw it to the floor. When I saw his firm chest I drooled like a twelve-year-old girl looking at a Zac Efron poster.

"Tell me," Edward said, pulling my chin up so I could look into his eyes. "Can you tell now that I want you?"

"Yes," I breathed as I lifted up onto my tip toes and kissed his lips. Once again I could feel his denim covered erection against my stomach. He smiled against my lips, pushing me back until I fell onto the bed. I giggled like a schoolgirl, crossing my legs at my ankles as I leaned back on the palms of my hands. "You've seen mine now. Show me yours."

He bit his lip and blushed a little bit, working his belt off quickly. Before he worked on the button of his jeans he took his wallet out of his back pocket and pulled out three condoms.

At least one of us was thinking straight. I had totally forgotten that little part and I wasn't exactly on birth control at that moment.

Edward tugged at his jeans, finally pulling them down to the floor.

Commando. He was going commando.

I nearly hyperventilated.

Now, that's not to say he was freakishly _huge_. He was about an inch longer than the average six probably. Edward was thick though, his skin strained at attention with his head almost a deep purple. Wow, he did want me.

He hissed as he took himself in his hand, messaging it for a moment. "I've been hard since the first time you kissed me. I thought I was going to have to jerk off in the car before I drove home."

Edward seemed slightly distracted, his head lolled to one side with his eyes closed so I decided to be a bit sneaky. I moved to the edge of the bed on my stomach and took his head into my mouth.

"MOTHER FUCKER!" He shouted in surprise, his cock jerking upwards in my mouth. I giggled around him, swallowing more of him. My jaw ached a little bit as I surrounded him but it was totally worth it. I wrapped my arms around the back of his legs, pulling him closer to the bed. "_Bella_. Bella, baby. I'm going to cum down your throat if you don't stop that. Fuck. Fuck yes," he groaned.

"Kind of the idea there, handsome," I teased him, flicking my tongue over the slit.

Yup, I was messed up still. I would never be able to say that normally.

"Fucking hell," he cursed and even that was sexy in his accent. "Fuck. Get on your knees on the bed. I want to be fucking you when I cum."

Didn't have to tell me that twice.

I was on my knees, sitting back on my ankles as I watched him roll on the condom. I expected him to take me from behind but instead, he sat on the bed with his back against my headboard.

"How do you want me?"

"Every way I can have you," Edward smiled, placing his hand on the back of my neck as he pulled me in for a kiss. "Will you indulge me?"

"Yes," I breathed out and at that moment I totally meant it. I would indulge his every whim.

He pulled me into a position I had never been in before, my back to him while straddling his waist. Edward took himself in his hand and rubbed it against me, getting himself nice and wet before placing the tip at my entrance. Placing both of his huge hands on my hips, he pressed me downwards.

"Shit. Tight. Are you okay? Is this okay?" He breathed behind me, his warm breath against my back. I nodded wildly, just enjoying the sensation of being so full. It had been a while. Once Edward was sure I was okay he moved one of his hands to my breast and the other between my legs as he leaned forward, his nose against my ear. "Ride me, Bella."

Edward's hand stayed still between my legs as I slowly bounced up and down on him but his fingers rubbed my clit with every movement. His other talented hand pinched my nipple, tweaking it hard. And if that wasn't enough he was kissing my spine the entire time.

My knees began to ache as the feeling in my stomach became more intense. I pulled my hair off of my neck and Edward's mouth was instantly there, licking the sweat that trickled downwards. I shivered in bliss, moaning loudly.

"Fuck! That's _hot_," I hissed. "I'm close again."

"What do you need? Tell me what you want me to do to make you cum," he whispered against my back, his teeth grazing my shoulder.

"Fingers. Harder," I managed to squeak out. He obliged, pressing the pads of his middle and pointer finger against my clit as he arched upwards underneath me to meet my bouncing. "Hell yes!"

As soon as I began to spasm I felt him shiver behind me, his forehead resting against my shoulder.

"_Fuck_."

I felt like all the blood rushed out of my head as I pretty much literally fell to my side. Edward chuckled beside me, getting up to throw away the condom. I was feeling all kinds of fuzzy and decided that it would just be best if I laid really still for a little while. My eyes sank closed as a blanket wrapped around me and Edward snuggled up against my back.

"Going to take a nap?" He asked.

I was going to answer _no_ but apparently, I was whether I wanted to or not.

I had loads of bizarre dreams. About darkness and anger and wolves. And there were lots of mirrors. I didn't like it. I didn't like it one bit.

I woke up to moisture on my shoulder. It was a mouth. Edward's mouth. Edward.

Oh. Shit. _Shit_...

Did I just sleep with a total stranger? Did I just fuck a total stranger? I was going to get herpes. What the hell was I thinking? I wasn't thinking. I was stoned. I was NEVER smoking again. _Holy shit. _

"You're awake and you're excited."

"H-how can you tell?" I stuttered out.

"Your heartbeat. It's going a million miles an hour. Are you okay?" He asked, pushing the hair away from my neck. I shot up in bed, wrapping the blanket around me tightly.

Edward was just as gorgeous as he was before I fell asleep. He had a concerned look on his face, rubbing his hand gently over my arm. My fear of herpes went away. He wasn't that kind of guy. I don't know how I knew that, but I did. I would still go to the doctor, but I knew he was a good guy. I remembered what he said about him not being _that_ kind of guy. I wasn't that kind of girl but I wasn't thinking straight earlier. I sighed, bringing my knees up to my chest.

"Edward, we need to talk."

"You told him what?!" Alice shrieked at me the following day over Greek food. At least she was going to help me with the food part. She even told me that Jasper wanted to help me with the cooking, especially the cake. We just needed to set up the date.

"I told him that I wasn't ready and that what we did, though amazing and wonderful, shouldn't have happened," I sighed, dipping my pita bread into the hummus. I was really digging it. I didn't think I would like it at first. Maybe I was just trying to keep my mind off of everything.

"But, why!? He's just a nice guy! And good looking and he's British. _British_, Bella."

"But, I don't know him," I complained.

"Jasper's known him for like fifteen years. He's a great guy," Alice frowned before her face grew a little evil. "Let me see your list."

"Why?"

"Just hand it over! I know you have it on you!" She rolled her eyes, smiling.

I instantly flushed when her smile grew wide. "So yeah. He is great in bed, too. I need to work on me. I can't be a good girlfriend if I don't like myself. And I don't, at all right now."

"He could help with that," she pointed out, dipping her bread in some sort of yogurt sauce that I didn't like at all.

"It's not fair to him. He doesn't need a work in progress," I rubbed my palm against my forehead. "Besides, how old is he? He's a kid!"

Alice rolled her eyes again. "He's twenty-five. He's not that much younger than us."

"I don't know him," I argued.

"Then get to know him!"

"I'm not ready," I whined. Thankfully our food came to the table and I thought Alice was going to drop it. I was so wrong.

"I know Ed really well. He doesn't go for girls unless he is like _extremely_ attracted to them. He's actually kind of shy. I bet you by the time I get home Jasper gets a call from him asking for information."

"Oh, GOD! Please don't tell him about the list. I don't want him to think he was just something I checked off. Please tell Jasper not to tell him. Like, right now. Text him, please," I begged. Alice pulled out her phone and typed quickly. "Thank you."

"Welcome. But, don't think I'm going to let this go," she said, eying me. "You needed to get laid."

"Ain't that the truth, sister," I laughed, taking a bite of my lamb. It was alright. Nothing amazing. I would try something else next time.

"Was it good?" She asked, biting her bottom lip and wiggling her eyebrows. "I mean, really good?"

I turned neon red. "He made me feel beautiful."

"You are." She shook her head, holding up her hand as I began to argue. "Alright, let's just drop that subject. How about we talk about something else?"

"Sounds good," I sighed.

"So, I was looking up information on gyms and I found one that is like right in the middle. Five minutes either way. It's got a gym, dance classes, yoga, self-defense, strip aerobics, spin, a sauna, and an indoor pool. It even has an indoor walking track and a hot tub. And it's pretty well priced. They even have a coupon," she said, pulling something out of her purse and handing it to me. It was the first three months free if you signed up for a year, along with no startup fee. How could I say no to that?

"Sure. We'll sign up tomorrow. But, one thing..."

"What's that?" Alice asked before she bit into her salad.

"No, strip aerobics."

"Deal!"

I laughed, clinking my glass to hers. "To becoming a size ten and loving myself."

"To getting you ready to get naked for Edward again," she laughed in return. I scoffed and she snickered, winking at me.

"Mary Alice, you're a bad _bad_ girl."

"And so are you, Isabella," she giggled. She looked down at my list, nodding towards it. "You know, I thought that one was going to be the hardest to accomplish. I was wrong. I hoped you thanked him."

I pushed my plate away and thumped my head against the table. "Change. The. Subject."

"Was it with his hands, his winkie dink, or his tongue?" She asked seriously.

"WINKIE DINK? What the hell? What are you, twelve?" I asked. The table next to us turned to look at me and I groaned, covering my face with my hands. Alice just laughed. Of course, she wasn't embarrassed at all. I should have known she was just screwing with me. "_Alice_."

"And you should mark out the flirting thing. Because I'm sure you flirted yesterday and apparently it worked really well." I just gave her a little look that would have melted an iceberg. She brought both of her hands up, smiling like the Cheshire cat. "I'll behave. Now, let's talk about how we want to do this whole working out thing. I could afford to drop fifteen pounds myself."

Thankfully she didn't talk about Edward for the rest of the afternoon, but my mind was still on him. I probably screwed up the chance of a really good thing but I knew, in the end, I was right. I needed to work on me.

I had to love myself before I could even consider loving another.

**Good for you Bella. Get you some. But try a better Greek restaurant next time. **

**Also, Winkie Dink. Oh Alice, just no.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Flash Drive**

The night after my lunch with Alice I worked on stuff until nearly two in the morning. And even though I did that, I was able to drag myself out of bed at nine in the morning to go with Alice to join the gym. We got everything set up and we even saw one of their personal trainers.

Apparently, I would have to lose around forty pounds to be a size ten. I nearly gagged at that number. The trainer thought it wasn't that much. When you had trouble taking five pounds off, it was. She thought I could lose the weight by Thanksgiving and even encouraged me to me go for a lower size. Maybe a six, which would have been around sixty pounds, if not more.

I told her first things first. I didn't even want to think about sixty pounds. We would have to see how it all went.

After setting up a time the next day to meet Alice at the gym I had a meeting with a client. It wasn't something I was looking forward to. The woman was a real bitch and if it weren't for the fact that she paid a lot of my bills than she would have been the one I told off.

In a hot second.

I was actually fantasizing about all the names I would call her while she talked about things she didn't understand in the least. Like _fake plastic ho_. Or, _a blow-up doll with an IQ lower than that of the rat she carries around in her purse that she calls a dog_. _Gold digger_ also came to mind. She must have been twelve and her husband eighty. She certainly wasn't married to him for the sex.

But, I kept my mouth shut like a good girl. Maybe that was one thing on my list I should just forget about doing. I decided though that I should just wait and see. If Lauren wasn't careful, it might just happen without my permission.

After finally finishing up with the stupid cow I went to the bookstore and picked up Interview with a Vampire. I knew this was something on my list that I could cross off quickly.

I read a chapter before starting my healthy dinner of lemon grilled chicken on a salad of iceberg lettuce. I was on my way to crossing another thing off my list. I just had to keep at it.

Hey, I had to start somewhere. I knew not all of my goals were going to be as easy as throwing myself at Edward.

I almost burnt my chicken thinking about Edward.

"Stop that. Work on me first," I scolded myself, flipping my hair over my shoulder. "Me first for once."

After dinner, I did some more work and paid some bills before I made a playlist for the gym. It was kind of funny the amount of music I had from the nineties. A lot of it reminded me of high school or early college. It was a good time for me. After that very brief thought I compiled a list that I named 'High school happiness.' They weren't all exactly from high school, some before or after, but it would be great to work out to. The whole thing was almost an hour and a half long.

I read another chapter of Interview before finally crawling into bed. I was going to meet Alice at three to work out for an hour or so. I knew I was going to need the rest.

"I'm going to DIE," I wheezed after ten minutes on the treadmill. To my credit, I had already done the bike and the evil step machine of fucking death. It sucked though that I still had to do something called a rowing machine and some weights. "I'm going to die at a gym. This is not how I wanted to die. I wanted to die while eating pie or something."

Alice laughed.

_Bitch_.

"Just don't think about it!" She said from beside me, looking all adorable in her workout gear. If I didn't love Alice so much I probably would have wanted to kill her peppy ass. No one should be that happy while working out. "Let's talk about something else. Oh! I meant to tell you, Jasper offered to help you cross something off your list today if you wanted."

"What's that?" I said, cursing mentally at the stitch in my side. I was trying to work on my foul language but it wasn't working all that well at this point. Well, one step at a time I guess.

"He was wondering if you'd like to bake a cake."

"You're serious?" I laughed sarcastically. "My first day at the gym and your husband wants to fatten me up with frickin cake?"

"No, no. Apparently, it's some kind of healthy cake recipe he wants to add into a new cookbook and he wants to see if 'normal people' could make it. Made with Splenda or something and it has prunes in it."

"Prunes?" I frowned a little bit.

"I said the same thing," she made a little face, "but he said they were sweet with a lot of fiber and that they go well with chocolate. Would you help him out so I don't have to make it?"

I laughed, shaking my head. "I see how it is. I'm actually helping you out, am I?"

"I scratch your back, you scratch mine." She winked. "You know how these things work out."

After our little conversation, we went on with the rest of our workout. I wish I could have said that it got easier as we went along, but that would have been total bullshit. Once I was safely back in the showers, I leaned against the wall and prayed that my legs would support me the rest of the night. They burned like a mother. Alice came out of the showers looking perfect, of course.

I came out looking like a drowned rat in its flannel pajamas. "I should run home and get changed," I said, holding up my arms and looking down at my outfit.

"Nah! You're perfect that way. Besides, it's just going to be us and Jasper. He always cooks in his pajama pants. I'll even change into mine if it makes you feel better."

"We'll have a sleepover without the sleeping over part." I smiled at her, walking with her back to her little yellow Porsche. My car looked pretty sad next to it. But mine was a hybrid and hers was a sports car. Big difference. "Yeah, okay. Oh, what are we doing for dinner? Want me to pick up something?"

"Jazz is making homemade pizzas. All healthy just for us," she informed me.

"Sounds good," I answered as I slid into my car, throwing my gym bag into the back. "I'll meet you there."

I hooked my mp3 player into radio, flicking it onto my new workout playlist. I turned it up on high, bobbing my head to TLC. No Scrubs was all over the radio my junior-senior year of high school. I could still sing the entire thing from memory. I didn't even get through the entire song before we got back to Alice's place.

"What are you listening to?" She asked when she got out of her car with a small laugh.

"My gym music. All songs from when we were in school," I informed her, pulling my mp3 player out and showing it to her.

"Bring it in! I want a copy," she clapped her hands, leading me up to the house like a little kid.

After eating our pizzas that were covered in sun-dried tomatoes, onions, garlic, sweet peppers, and basil which were amazing, Alice put on the music playlist, blasting it as loud as she could.

"You know who you forgot to put on here?" Alice said, dancing around to Sugar Ray. "Spice Girls."

"Boo!" Jasper and I said at the same time, making Alice frowned. She loved them back in school. She even dragged me to see that horrid movie, Spice world. Alice wasn't pleased, especially since we kept it up until we got to the kitchen.

Jasper got all the ingredients out and preheated the oven for me. Apparently, he was going to direct me but not actually cook. I was sure that it would end in some sort of disaster. I wasn't sure what, but I knew it would end very badly.

"Okay, first take your butter," Jasper began, pointing at my bowl.

"Because butter is so healthy," I muttered under my breath.

"Shut it, woman. Now take your Splenda and cream it together until it's nice and smooth," Jasper laughed at my sassy attitude. "Blend the eggs one at a time with a mixer before adding the vanilla."

"Yes, master," I sassed him again, making him roll his eyes. I blew him a kiss, cracking an egg into the bowl before turning on the mixer. Then his phone rang.

"Alright, slave, just add the other egg then the vanilla until it's well blended," he said before picking up his cell. "Hello?" Jasper yelled over the loud machine. "Hey, man. What's up?"

I raised an eyebrow at Alice who was sitting across from us on the island. She just shrugged.

"I don't know. Let me ask her," I heard Jasper say just as I turned off the mixer. "Hey, Bella. What kind of flowers do you like?"

I think I could have been across the room and heard who was yelling on the other side of the line. "You douche! You total fucking douche! Don't do that!" I heard Edward scream.

"Oh, my god," I breathed, instantly turning red. "I don't want flowers."

"She doesn't want flowers," Jasper said into the phone.

"Jasper!" Alice and I cried at the same time. I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. "Tell him that he shouldn't feel the need to send me flowers."

"You shouldn't feel the need to, apparently," Jasper said into the phone. He pulled the mouthpiece away. "He says that he doesn't want you to think he used you."

"I don't," I assured him. "I don't want him to feel that way either and-"

Alice snatched the phone away from Jasper and began to walk out of the kitchen. "Look, Edward, Bella had an amazing time and yes, I know you're not that kind of guy. She's not that kind of girl. But Bella recently went through some trauma and she needs to work on herself some."

Apparently turning thirty was traumatic. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Alice," I whined as I followed her out of the kitchen. I felt like I was back in high school. I knew from personal experience that there was no way I was going to get that phone away from her though.

"I think it would be a fantastic idea that you two get to know each other better but she has some stuff to deal with first. I know you understand that part. You've dealt with some of the same things. Aw, sweetie, you're so sweet. Just give the girl some time," Alice sighed, pulling the phone away from her face.

"He says he feels the need to at the very least explain himself." I just shook my head. "Edward, you don't need to. Okay. Okay. I'll talk to you later, honey. Alright, bye."

"Ugh, he probably thinks I'm a bitch," I cried, putting my face in my hands.

"Not at all. He feels awful," Alice patted my shoulder. "I think you two should at least get to know each other."

I shrugged, frowning at her, "I'm too embarrassed at this point."

"Are we baking this cake or what?" Jasper shouted from the kitchen. I took that chance to escape, going into the kitchen to finish the 'healthy' cake.

After adding flour, baking powder, baking soda, chopped up prunes, and cocoa we stuck the cake in the blazing hot oven so we could start on the 'lower fat' cream cheese frosting. Alice cranked the song back up, dancing to the music while I whipped up the white soft cream cheese. The only sounds that could be heard over all the noise we were making were the loud plopping of the rain falling outside.

"_A scrub is a guy who thinks he's fly_..." Alice began and I just laughed.

"Ugh, new song please," Jasper complained. Alice rolled her eyes, singing loudly as she went to change the song to something he would approve of.

When No doubt came on, she squealed. "_I'm just a girl. I guess I'm some kind of freak!"_ Alice said, hopping around like a maniac on crack. Where did she get that much energy? I needed to find her source and raid it, or something. "OH! BELLA IT'S RAINING!"

"You're a regular weatherman," I teased her.

"No! Let's go dance in the rain. Come on, we've got some great tunes and it's not lightning or anything. I'll go with you."

I weighed my options. I had my workout clothes I could change into and she was right. This would be a perfect chance. Once we got to October or November it would be just too cold to until the spring. So, I nodded, smiling as I walked after her. Just as we got into her backyard Smashing Pumpkins came on. I laughed, headbanging along with Alice.

"_DESPITE ALL MY RAGE I'M STILL JUST A RAT IN CAGE_!" We yelled along with the lyrics before we grabbed each other's hands and began to jump up and down. Jasper stood in the doorway and laughed at us as we got soaked.

That is until we heard a loud bang and the smoke alarm going off in the kitchen. We all ran back inside to find smoke pouring from the oven.

"What the hell?" Jasper yelled as he got the fire extinguisher to put it out.

"The cake exploded!" Alice laughed.

And she was right. The entire oven was covered in chocolate and prunes. It looked so gross.

"It didn't do that last time," Jasper scratched his head after getting something to take it out. Both Alice and I burst into laughter at his expression.

"Well, I think the cake may have to wait," Alice finally said after swallowing her giggles. "At least you scratched something off the list tonight."

"I'm going to get changed," I informed Jasper and patted him on the back soothingly as he whimpered at his messed up oven. "And I'll help you clean up, I promise."

After an hour of working on the oven, it was finally clean and I headed home. Despite the whole Edward phone call, I was in an amazingly good mood. I wasn't sure if it was because of the company or the food or the workout but I didn't care.

When I arrived home there was a surprise waiting for me. A flash drive was hanging by a ribbon on my doorknob. It didn't take a genius to figure out where it came from. I took it off and headed inside, going straight to my computer.

There was only one file on it. It was a word file named _'I'm Sorry.'_

_Bella, _

_I realize that you don't want flowers or anything like that, but I felt the need to explain myself in a note or something. I figured this was the best way to do so. _

_I've been with four women my entire life. Most of them I dated for six months or longer. I'm not the kind of man to do something like that, just jump in headlong, but I couldn't help myself. I just want to make sure that you knew that I wasn't using you because you weren't exactly sober. I didn't mean to take advantage of you._

_I would love to have the chance to be your friend and to get to know you better, but I will wait until you are comfortable and ready. _

_You said that you weren't beautiful. I hope in time you realize that that isn't true. You're extremely beautiful. And extremely sexy. _

_Sorry, I don't want to make you feel awkward or embarrassed, but it's true. _

_Please know that when you are ready, I will be your friend if you allow me. _

_Edward_

I bit my lip and sighed. I almost wished that he was some sort of horrible asshole so I could hate him and move on. But I just felt like a royal bitch and more than a little stupid since he was so nice.

_Work on yourself_, I said in my head. _If it's meant to be, it'll be. _

I sighed once again. I hoped to God that was true.

For the following two weeks, I worked, of course, but I also went to the gym every single day either by myself or with Alice. I hung out with Jasper and Alice a lot as well. I ate healthy, moving me towards my skinnier goal and my cooking goal. I also finished Interview with a Vampire. It was better than the movie but I couldn't help but imagine Brad Pitt as Louis.

Something about brooding vampires was just hot. I don't know why. It just was.

Besides the book though, I didn't cross anything else off my list. One night when I was all alone and there was nothing on TV, I typed out the list on the computer. I needed it to be fresh in my mind. I gave it a pretty font and even highlighted the eight things I had already done. I printed out two copies, one for me and one for the very determined Alice. She probably already had the damn thing memorized though. I think she looked at it more often than I did.

Two weeks after the exploding cake Alice called me all excited. "How would you like to go to a concert?"

"Depends on who is playing," I answered, perching the phone against my shoulder as I worked on a pets store company's website.

"Jimmy Buffett!" She squealed.

"Like Margaritaville, Jimmy Buffett?" I said, finishing up my work and clicking off the internet browser. I knew I wouldn't really be able to work with Alice talking to me anyway.

"Yup! Rosalie, you remember Jasper's older bitchy sister, right?"

"How could I forget?" I snorted. Few people were that beautiful or that mean in this world. She was kind of unforgettable.

"Well, she works for the tourism office and she scored like six free tickets. I remember how your dad used to play him all the time, especially when we cooked out."

"Oh yeah," I smiled. "Good times."

"So, what do you say? We'll cook out beforehand then get liquored up on tequila while dancing to some classics?" She said very excitedly. "I couldn't think of a better way to pop your concert cherry. I heard his were some of the best."

"Okay," I agreed, making her squeal loudly. "When?"

"This Saturday. We'll eat beforehand and then meet Rose and her husband at Pizza Hut Park."

"Is she still evil? Should I wear a garlic necklace?" I asked with a snicker.

"Shit, only if you bring me one too. She still doesn't like me very much most of the time," Alice sighed, sounding a little bit frustrated. "I don't know how Emmett can stand it. He's such a nice guy."

I had never met Emmett before, but if she was still the Rosalie of my memory than any person was nicer. But, I had to be nice myself. "Well, she can't be all that horrible if she's offering concert tickets."

"That is true," she agreed. "Beforehand let's make some cheeseburgers," Alice said, changing the subject.

"With Heinz 57 and French fried potatoes," I said, quoting one of his most famous songs.

"And cold draft beer, baby! Come over here around three. We'll grill. It'll be fun. Actually, I'm going to be around town beforehand so why don't I pick you up and then we can drop you off after the concert?"

"Sure thing," I agreed. "Sounds like a great time. I really need something to look forward to."

"Don't worry, Bella! I promise I will help you make this one of the best years of your life!" Alice said enthusiastically.

I sure hoped she was right.

**Why did the cake explode? I'm going to say maybe because Bella put too much baking soda and powder in there while Jasper wasn't looking. But, who knows. Maybe it was the prunes. They knew it was unnatural and self-destructive. **

**Who remembers Jimmy Buffett? **

**If you enjoyed, please don't forget to fave and alert for more! **

**Thanks for reading. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Parrot Head**

I laid on the bed flat as I struggled to suck in my gut. The scale said that I had lost almost ten pounds and dammit if I wasn't going to try to wear my 'skinny' jeans. Skinny for me was just a size smaller but still. I didn't care. Smaller is smaller.

After a few minutes of struggling with the stiff denim and the cranky button, I finally got it into place.

"Hell yes! Fourteens!" I said as I hopped up off the bed after zipping up. "If I don't eat or breath, we're good to go," I said, looking down at the dark denim. Now I just needed to find a shirt to wear that would be both cute and comfortable.

That was easier said than done. I searched and searched through my closet, pleased with nothing I really had. Everything was really out of fashion since I hated to shop so much. I finally settled for a red top that my mom had gotten me for Christmas the year before. It showed off my ta-tas more than I liked but at least it covered my massive rear.

After settling on a shirt I put on a thin layer of makeup and styled my hair up into a fancy ponytail. I even put on a pair of big hoop silver earrings, a necklace, and a cuff bracelet. All of them were from target but no one else needed to know that.

I actually felt fancy for once. I even wore a cute pair of black leather boots. I wouldn't be exactly comfortable but I at least looked nice.

When I answered my front door, Alice whistled. "Very hot Mama."

"Look! A size smaller!" I said, turning around to show her the jeans.

"Going to the gym is paying off rather quickly, huh?" She asked as she linked arms with me. I just shoved some cash, my license, and a credit card in my pocket. There was no way I was going to carry a purse all night.

"Surprisingly, yes. I've been trying really hard," I informed her as we rode the elevator down.

"Keep it up. At this rate, you'll be sexing it up by Thanksgiving. The boys won't know what hit them," Alice teased.

I rolled my eyes as I crawled into the tiny Porche. I was just thankful that we would be going in Jasper's massive SUV. It was a lot easier to get in and out of it. Also, I didn't feel so huge getting out of it. I felt like a clown coming out of that tiny car at the circus in that bright neon yellow thing.

When we arrived at Alice's place Jasper was setting up the grill. As soon as I came into sight his eyes zeroed in on one place.

"Stop staring at Bella's rack," his wife snorted, handing me a beer. It wasn't one of those _taste like piss_ ones but a malted fruity one from like Sweden. I was glad me and Alice had similar tastes on this sort of thing.

"They're staring back at me though!" Jasper said, his face turning red. I started laughing and adjusted my bra.

"Getting a good view, baby?" I cooed at him. I squished them together for him.

"Why do I have a feeling it's going to be a long night for me?" He frowned, poking the hot coals with a stick from the yard.

"Aw! I'm sorry," I said as I wrapped an arm around his waist and laid my head on his shoulder. "I'll tell them to stop looking at you." I looked down at my chest. "Girls, behave."

"I wish I had a set to talk to," Alice pouted, trying to squeezing her small breast together with her arms. It wasn't working.

"Why are these woman trying to kill me?" Jasper muttered to himself as he went into the kitchen to fetch the meat for the grill. "Fondling themselves in front of me. They're just mean. Unless they're planning on doing something about it..." Jasper said, his voice fading into the background.

Alice and I started laughing at the same time.

"We should leave him alone," I said with a little laugh.

"Let's work on the fries then. Think you can keep those from exploding?"

"I don't know," I snickered, "I'll certainly try though. Wait... Is this Jasper's recipe?"

"Nope, from the freezer. We should be safe."

We cackled like morons, just having a good time. Poor Jasper pouted when he came back having heard the whole thing. He muttered under his breath as Alice planted a kiss on his cheek before we headed into the kitchen.

We made the fries along with a tossed salad. Hey, it had to be at least a little bit healthy. We also made a fruit salad for dessert.

The burgers were _awesome_.

"Alice, you're lucky you're already married to him because I'd steal him away. He's good looking and he cooks. Does it get any better?" I asked, making Jasper blush a cute shade of red. He pursed his lips and smiled shyly down at his bowl of melon.

"Yes, it does get better. But there are certain things we can't talk about at the dinner table," she winked at me. Jasper almost turned purple as he hacked on a piece of fruit. Alice fussed over him, patting his back hard until he stopped. His eyes were actually watering. Poor thing, we went just a little too far.

"I'm going to do the dishes real quick," he wheezed out, leaving me and Alice alone.

"See, it does get better! He does the dishes, too!" She said teasingly. I giggled at her happy expression. Two beers and Alice was tipsy. It was kind of cute actually.

"Come on. Let's go help him so we can get going."

We left early enough. We should have gotten there sooner than we did. Jasper tried to defend himself and say that it had been a while since he had driven around Texas. Alice was just annoyed that he was too stubborn to turn on the GPS before he got so fricken lost. So, by the time we got there, the concert was going to start in like thirty minutes which was probably barely enough time to get to our seats.

As we walked to the front of the ticket area, Jasper called his sister to find out where she was at. "Yeah, I realize I am. Hey! I'm sorry. Ugh, yeah, okay. Be there in a minute."

"Did you put garlic in your pocket?" Alice whispered to me. I snapped my fingers dramatically, giggling at her.

"Knew I forgot something."

"Hey, bro!" A booming voice called. I turned quickly to see it belonged to a hulk of a man. I mean, he was like six foot six and four hundred pounds of muscle. More like a human wall. He brought Alice into a quick hug before slapping Jasper's back. "Get lost?"

"No," Jasper groaned. "Stupid traffic."

"Yeah, blame traffic," Alice mumbled under her breath. When he shot her a nasty look she just smiled innocently. "Emmett, this is my friend Bella. Bella, this is Emmett and you remember Rosalie."

Rosalie gave a feeble wave before crossing her arms back over her massive chest. Emmett, on the other hand, gave me a bone crushing hug.

"Nice to meet you!" He boomed.

"You too," I wheezed before he finally set me down.

"Oh, yeah. And this is Edward," he said to me, moving to the side. Standing behind him was the beautiful red-haired Edward with cheeks so flaming red that they matched. His eyes were huge and surprised. "T backed out at the last minute so I invited Ed," Emmett said, talking over my head. "I knew you wouldn't mind."

"Hi," I breathed, my face heating.

"Ello," he said, his accent thick as he swallowed. Then he smiled at me. It was wide and welcoming and just beautiful. I couldn't help but smile back. After that, his blushing slowly began to fade.

"Did I miss something?" I heard Rosalie ask somebody in the background.

"More than you'll ever know. Don't worry about it," Jasper said. "Come on. Let's go get our seats."

"I'm sorry," Alice whispered to me as we headed down the noisy aisle to our seats. "I didn't know he was coming. I thought Jasper's cousin Tanya was coming."

"It's fine," I assured her. "I'm a big girl. I'm mature. I can handle it."

"If you're sure," she said worriedly. "We can go-"

"Hell no!" I almost shouted at her before controlling my voice. "I need to cross something off my list and there is no better way, right? I'm fine."

Of course, Edward would have to be seated next to me. But, as I said, I was mature enough to handle it. I really didn't have that much time to worry over it because the area was soon filled with music.

"Is this okay?" Edward whispered down to me. It made me think of the night we were together. It actually made me shiver.

"It's fine," I promised but he didn't look convinced. Just the way he was looking at me was making me warm. Thankfully the crowd really started up then and we all stood up just to be able to see.

One of my favorite songs came on first, putting me in a really good mood. It reminded me of my dad. It was called Fruitcakes. I couldn't help but sway to the music as it played, singing along. When I glanced over Edward was watching me, smiling.

I winked at him. Okay, I was flirting and that was bad but it was nice to know that I could make someone blush on purpose.

Both Alice and I squealed when Cheeseburger in Paradise came on next. She pushed Edward out of the way to come dance with me. We were singing along loudly, dancing stupidly with each other with our arms over our heads as we swayed our hips. Jasper snapped a picture of us with his phone of us hugging each other. That slowed us down for all of three seconds.

It was amazing how I hadn't listened to these songs in a couple years at least but I still knew all the words. So did Alice.

When the song ended Alice and I fell all over each other giggling like schoolgirls. It had been a while since I had that much fun. And then he started playing another great song called Pencil Thin Mustache. It was my Dad's all time favorite. He played it all the time. Not that he probably should have around kids, but he still did.

Alice and I continued to dance with each other. Though I was having fun and laughing it put into focus that I really needed to take dance lessons. I would look into that on Monday.

"_Blacktop dirty bop, copping a feel. You're rubbing on the living room floor! SO SOFT! Send you off to college to gain a little knowledge and all you want to do is LEARN HOW TO SCORE!_" We screamed along, laughing afterward.

Towards the end of the song, Jasper tugged Alice back over to him so she could finally dance with him. She shimmed up and down, giving him a really good show. He laughed, kissing her hard on the mouth. I smiled at the scene, just happy that they were so happy together.

Edward was standing next to me again as another song began to play. One that it took me a minute to realize what it was. It hit me just as the chorus started, my gaze set on him.

"_Why don't we get drunk and screw?"_

"I'm going to get a drink!" I shouted uncomfortably at Alice. She nodded her head and frowned a little bit.

"Me, too," Edward said afterward, following me out.

"Are you _that_ uncomfortable?" He asked me. "That you can't even listen to a song about sex?"

I laughed, rubbing the back of my neck. "Not exactly."

"I'm sorry," he apologized.

"Hey! Don't do that. I told you that I was fine. And I'd really like to be friends with you. This can be a good start," I said as I walked towards the concessions. When I saw the massive line, I sighed. It was going to be a while.

"I'd like that," Edward said softly, coming to stand beside me in the line.

"So," I said, searching for something to talk about. "Um, how do you know Emmett and Rosalie?"

"Oh, Em is actually my uncle."

"Your uncle?" I laughed. "He's not that much older than me. And he seems like a good old boy. How'd that happen?"

He laughed, nodding his head. "He is a good ol' boy and he's only like eight years older than me. My mother is originally from Texas."

"Okay, so wait? How did you get the accent?" I asked, pointing at his mouth. It turned into a crooked smile as he leaned against the railing.

"My father is British. My mum went to London for schooling. They met and fell and love. You know that type of thing."

"How did you end up here then?" I said, biting my bottom lip. "If you don't mind me asking, anyway."

"You can ask me anything," he assured me. "Well, we lived in London until I was about ten or twelve. We came back to go to Emmett and Rosalie's wedding and my dad saw how much my mother missed being around her family so he arranged to get a job at the children's hospital here a couple year after."

"Wow, that's awesome. You've been here ever since?"

"Yup," he said, popping the letter with those pretty soft lips. "Just never lost the accent."

"Do you ever think of going back to London?"

"Well, not to live. My dad retired last year and they moved back so they can be closer to all the 'romantic' places they want to visit in Europe. I wouldn't mind visiting them soon. It's been a while since I've seen them."

"Do you like Texas better?" I asked.

"Let's just say there is a lot more natural beauty here," he said, winking back at me.

Okay, I melted a little bit. It was only fair though. I had flirted with him. I cleared my throat, trying to think of a way of changing the subject.

"So, I never asked what you did for a living."

"I'm a musician."

"Ah," I nodded. "That makes sense."

"What makes sense?"

"Well, you're just so smooth. I should have figured that and-" I stopped myself before I could finish but it was too late.

"That and what?" He smirked, waiting for me to answer.

"You're really good with your hands," I whispered. His smile grew big as his cheeks flushed. I cleared my throat again quickly, moving on. "What do you play?"

"Piano, guitar, bass, and the violin," he answered with a shrug.

"Ah, a man of many talents," I teased him as we finally walked to the counter. We both ordered diet cokes to drink.

"Well, I started piano when I was a toddler. Then I started violin in school because I wanted to do something different. And then of course as I got a little older I tried the guitar and bass to be cool," he said, paying for our drinks. I slipped a five into his pocket, making him smirk. I wasn't going to have him buy anything for me. Luckily, he ignored it and continued to talk. "It pays the bills."

"So, what? Do you play in a band or something?"

"No, actually. I play at special events, birthdays, weddings, and such. Or, I play in clubs or restaurants. I've actually been booked up solid to just after Christmas."

"So..." I drew out, smiling at him ruefully. "You're a wedding singer."

"No! I don't sing!" Edward said quickly, his cheeks heating once more. "Besides, do I look like Adam Sandler to you?"

I laughed, "no. Not at all."

"Thank goodness." He smiled, touching his large hand to the small of my back. "So, should we go back in?"

"Would you mind if I finished my drink first?" I asked, leaning against the wall beside the door to the arena. "It's kind of loud in there."

"Oh, you're right. Yeah. It is kind of too loud at the moment."

So we listened to a couple of songs as we had our drinks and talked a little bit more. He was such a nice guy and so shy, which surprised me. Everything seemed to set off his cheeks, much like me. At least we had that in common. He also didn't seem to like the wild crowds all that much either. I was kind of happy we were outside when Jimmy started playing Margaritaville because the crowd's shouting rattled the walls.

We slipped in between songs once he finally finished. Alice raised an eyebrow at me but I just shrugged and smiled. She shrugged in return and looked between Edward and me. Once again, I just shrugged. You had to love psychic conversations.

"Well, since we're getting so close to Halloween, I have a special song for you guys! Just right for such an occasion." Jimmy shouted, grabbing everyone's attention. 'Creepy' music began to play in the background and it made me laugh. I glanced over at Edward and he was smiling down at me. "_I'd rather walk through fire than converse than my shrink, but I'm getting better or at least that's one some people think."_

I understood that feeling.

"_Vampires, mummies, and the holy ghost are the things that terrify me the most..." _The entire crowd sang along with the chorus. I felt a little out of place because I didn't know the words. "_I was never ever frightened of the murderer on my block. He nurtured orchids and raised hamsters. The neighborhood is still in shock!"_

Both Edward and I burst into laughter at the same time.

"_I need protection from the things in my head..." _

Edward bumped shoulders with me and leaned down to whisper in my ear, "I don't think I'm the only one that knows how that feels."

I laughed and nodded. I was going to have to download this song as soon as I got home.

Then another great song came on. Gypsies in the Palace. I looked over at Alice and she was dancing with Jasper. I pouted a little bit but decided I could dance with myself.

"Can I have this dance?" Edward said, holding his hand out to me.

We could be friends, right? Friends danced. I wouldn't mind that at all. I took his hand and he instantly swept me up into his arms to dance far too enthusiastically to the zydeco style music. He dipped me back, making me laugh loudly, twirling me around in the small space.

I was an awful dancer but he wasn't half bad. I couldn't imagine what he could do with a little more space.

And it helped that he was a gentleman the entire time, keeping his hands in the right places.

"Ah!" I squealed as my hair touched the floor and we almost fell over as he dipped me back again. Luckily Edward's balance was better than mine. We just laughed as we overcorrected and fell into each other as we straightened. We moved back and forth like idiots, his hand on my waist and the other holding my hand in the air.

As the song came to an end, he didn't let go. It was a slower song. In fact, it was one of his most popular. A pirate looks at forty.

"Still want to dance?" He asked in my ear. I nodded and he came a bit closer all while still being a gentleman.

As we swayed slowly to the music I was trying to remember why I was such an idiot and pushed him away that night.

_Work on me_, that's right. At the moment all I wanted to do was work on him. With his clothes off.

Behave_. I can do this. _

Friends, _dammit_.

Finally, the song ended and Edward reluctantly let go of me. He gave me a stiff smile, one that didn't go quite to his eyes. I returned it and sighed.

"You guys have been a great audience! Like there was any doubt! We are in TEXAS after all! Let's have one more for the road! You better watch out for the Volcano!" Jimmy yelled from the stage, causing the audience to scream as the song played.

After that everyone began to file out but we decided to wait for the rush to end. I sat back in my seat, feeling pretty tired. Edward sat as well. I could tell by his expression that he was thinking something over.

"Thanks for the dance," I said, looking over at him with a little smile.

"I should be thanking you. I had a really good time," he assured me, looking up at me with his large green eyes. They were so pretty framed by those thick red eyelashes. I didn't know how he kept girls off of him.

"I did too," I promised him.

There was awkward silence until Edward suddenly moved, pulling what looked like a sharpie out of his pocket. He took my hand and put it face up. "Look, I know things are really awkward and all but like I said, I want to be your friend if you want to be mine. Here's my email address and you can email me sometime. We can talk and get to know each other better."

"Okay," I said slowly, biting my lip as the felt tickled my skin. He wrote out EAMCmusic at gmail dot com on there before bringing my hand up to blow on my palm so it wouldn't smear.

Bella Jello was making a reappearance at that move. I bit my lip, thinking over my next move quickly. Edward went to place the marker back in his pocket but I stopped him, grabbing his hand. I took the sharpie and quickly wrote my email address on his palm. "This is mine. Definitely write to me, okay? I'd love to chat."

"Yeah," he smiled crookedly, flushing again. "That sounds great."

He took my hand and gave it a little squeeze before leaning over to press a soft kiss on my cheek. He gave me enough time to pull away but instead I leaned into it.

"So, what was that back there?" Alice asked when we got back to the truck.

"We were just exchanging email address. You know, so we can get to know each other better and be friends," I said, blushing a little bit.

"He wrote it on your hand? That's so high school!" She giggled, "it's cute."

"Jasper, you didn't tell me that you and Edward were kinda sorta related," I said, ignoring Alice.

"You never asked," he shrugged. Jasper looked at me through the rearview mirror, a meaningful expression on his face. "He's a really good guy, Bella. He's not the kind of guy you think he is."

I chewed on that sentence for the rest of the ride home. What kind of guy did I think he was?

When I got into my apartment I went to check my email, something I did rather obsessively. I had one from my mother, with what seemed like pictures attached, that I skipped over for later. I had spam mail from my dad. I had several from clients but the one that stood out the most was the one on the very top.

Edward Cullen- Goodnight

_I just want to say that I had an amazing time tonight because of you. I hope you sleep well and goodnight._

I smiled, hitting reply.

_I had a good time too. Sweet dreams. _

His reply was almost instant.

_I have no doubt that I will because my dreams will be filled with you._

I sighed, closing my laptop. Pulling my hair as I closed my eyes, I leaned back in my chair.

"Of course the minute I focus on me, he comes along."

**This was a fun chapter write. It's like going to a real concert almost lol. They're both so charming to each other in this one. It was fun to remember. **

**Did you enjoy the concert?**

**Thanks for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Spazzing Out**

That following Monday I joined a dance class that was going on at the Gym. The first class wasn't actually until Tuesday but I got a chance to meet the dance teacher. He was a tall thin man with extremely long black hair and a slender nose. He was Italian and loud and more than just a little bit gay. I couldn't help but laugh at how very stereotypical it was. Aro, that was his name, was nice enough and at least I didn't have to worry about him making advances towards me during our lessons. I had to hide my laughter when he said the word Chacha. I almost wet myself when I finally let it all out, women looking at me like I had lost my damn mind in the bathroom as I laughed. Between his wild hand gestures and randomly high pitched voice, it was too much for me.

On Tuesday I realized that I was never going to be an amazing dancer, but I could at least scratch that thing off my list.

And my computer life became more interesting with the adding of Edward to my contact list. We sent emails back and forth, talking about our day. He worked three weddings on Sunday, just playing the music for the bride to walk up and down the aisle. I thought it was funny that he played electric guitar at one, piano at another, and violin at the last. I couldn't imagine the number of instruments he was shoving into that little Camaro of his.

I learned his favorite color was red and that he was scared of snakes. We talked about our favorite movies, Edward's was some anime movie I had never heard of before. He said he would come over and we would watch it sometime in the future if I wanted to. I told him I would think about it. I told him mine was The Breakfast Club. He told me I was a typical girl.

For the next week I continued to eat as healthy as possible, work, exercise with and without Alice's perky influence, and I even worked on improving my language. It didn't work that fucking well, but I was trying, dammit.

The following Tuesday I almost busted my butt and I decided that the dance lessons weren't for me. Aro said that it was a pity and that anyone could learn. I told him I would consider it after I lost some more weight, so I would have enough energy to keep up with him.

After class, I got on the computer and checked my email to do some work. Up at the very top was an email from Edward titled _Just got off and want to slam my head into the wall_. It certainly caught my attention.

_I know I need to work for a living and I normally don't mind it but if I have one more drunk bridesmaid throw up on my shoes I'm going to go ballistic. They come to flirt, badly, and then BARF on me. Every. Goddamn. Time._

_Save me. Please. _

_From Edward's iPhone. _

I laughed before typing back quickly.

_Apparently, you're a magnet for women who aren't exactly in their right state of mind. I hope it's not too bad. Remember, working is a good thing. You don't want to be a starving artist. _

His reply was almost instant.

_I need someone to talk to. Do you mind if we talk on the phone? I'm driving and don't want to type at the same time. _

I considered it for a minute. I wasn't exactly sure if I was ready for that or not but he really did seem to need to talk to someone. Friends talked to each other on the phone. I could do that.

_Yeah, sure_, I answered. I typed my number quickly and waited for his call. It came a mere minute later.

"Thank you," he breathed a sigh of relief. Poor Edward sounded battle worn.

"Is it that bad?" I asked, going to sit on my couch. I crossed my legs, leaning my head against the back of the cushioning.

"Yes. God, honestly. I just want to play at one wedding that doesn't serve liquor. They all seem to have open bars and get totally sloshed. And then they become loud and rude. You can't believe what some of these women do at a wedding. And now I'm stuck in traffic."

I laughed, "aw. I'm sorry you're so stressed. And, I bet I can believe what those women do."

"It's rather disturbing actually, how they try to flirt. Some of the propositions are frightening."

"Well, that answers one question for me," I answered sarcastically.

"What?" Edward asked, confused.

"Well, you said you didn't do that kind of thing but you were carrying protection on your person. Now that answers the mystery of _why_."

"Bella! Jesus, no. I've never. Ugh, no. No, I carry condoms in my wallet because of my mother," he explained and I could tell by his reaction that he was telling the total truth. I felt bad for making the assumption.

"Your mom? Why would you carry condoms in your wallet because of your mother?" I laughed. "That could be _disturbing_ in itself, Edward."

He laughed. "Well, my mother is a lawyer. Or, rather was up until my birth. She worked in family law. She saw what happened to men who had children outside of marriage. So, one day when I was sixteen my mother pulled me to the side and said," Edward cleared his throat deeply and began to speak in a very high pitched southern accent, "Edward, you're a musician and I know what they do. Your daddy is a baby doctor and we both know how they come in this world. You better not make me a grandma before I'm ready. So, you either keep condoms on you at all times and be prepared or I'll make your father come and have the _talk_ with you. And you know exactly how graphic that'll be."

I laughed the entire time. "You do a cute impression of a southern woman."

"Thank you," he drawled out in a fake accent. "But my mama would whoop my ass if she heard me pokin fun at her like that."

I snickered, "it'll be our little secret."

He cleared his throat and laughed, "there's only one problem with that now. Now that I'm in my mid-twenties she's apparently 'ready to be a grandma' and I'm not providing her with any as of yet."

"You're still young. You still have time," I assured him. "Someday you'll meet the right girl and I bet you'll have the cutest red haired and green eyed babies."

"Right," he said, sounding a little sad. "Yeah, someday."

I sighed, looking over at my clock. It was just after eight and I needed to get some things done. "Hey, I need to do some work and you should drive. I hope your night gets better."

"It did. Thanks for the chat."

"I'll email you later," I promised him. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Bella. Sweet dreams."

"Shit," I moaned after I hung up the phone. I'm not sure what had bothered him _exactly_ but I knew what it had to do with. Me. I felt bad for running but I didn't want to make the conversations anymore awkward than it already was becoming.

I tried to work, I really did. I didn't get very far though. I would just have to get up early in the morning and work on it before I went to the gym. Or, I could just delay going to the gym since Alice wasn't coming along for some reason. I had to meet with a client in the afternoon and I had to be prepared and ready for him.

So, instead of working I pulled out my list. At first, I thought at the rate I was going that I was going to have almost everything done by Christmas, except for a few but my progress seemed to slow. I mean, I was wearing my fourteens comfortably. And, I was working my way towards a lot of them.

It was just frustrating not having something come off the list daily.

I grabbed another piece of paper from my desk and looked at the goals I had accomplished. I needed to reaffirm the work I had already done. I wrote each thing out slowly with a short blurb of details about it.

_Reconnect with a friend- Alice. She's become my best friend again and I doubt I could have done any of this without her. _

_Gotten high- It was a lot of fun especially with Alice but I won't ever do it again. I like being in control more than that. _

_Gym- I still hate the fucking step machine. That is not exercise equipment. It's a torture device. BUT I love how I am feeling right now. I have more energy and I feel better about myself. _

_Greek food- Not my favorite but maybe I just need to try something different next time. We'll see. _

_Interview with a Vampire- Going to have to read it again soon. Sexy vampires are good for the soul, I think. _

_Concert- It was amazing and a lot of fun but really loud. I want to go to a smaller affair next time. _

_Dancing in the rain- Was so much fun and thinking about the cake still makes me laugh for some reason. Jasper doesn't know what went wrong and is still afraid to try to remake it, just in case it happens again. _

The final three things on my list I clumped together.

_Flirting, Kissing, and Orgasm- I had no idea when I started doing things on this list that would happen. Any of this. Edward made me feel better than I ever have in my life. I want-_

I stopped writing there. I wasn't sure what I wanted. Biting my lip, I thought about it for a few minutes before continuing.

_I want to become great friends with him and I want to get to know him better. I was very lucky to have all those things happen with him. _

I didn't sleep all that well so I got up pretty early and just finished up everything I needed to do before I met up with my client. As it got closer to the holiday season things got busier for me because all the companies wanted to update for Christmas. I wasn't looking forward to it. Hopefully, I could handle it all without losing my mind.

When I finished up my work I went to the gym at eight in the morning, the earliest I've ever gone. Not a lot of people were there surprisingly and I got through my workout quicker than normal because I didn't have to wait for any machines. That was nice.

I had just gotten home and showered when I received a phone call from Alice. "Help me!"

"What's wrong, Alice?" I asked, alarmed at her frantic tone.

"Okay, so I said I would watch Rosalie's kid today. Apparently, Emmett has to do something. He's normally a stay at home dad. But he's at like a court thing for a traffic ticket or something. I figured since I'd only be doing it until like two when Edward's picking her up that it would be easy but I'm horrible with children. I mean, there's a REASON I don't have children and Jasper's not here because he's trying to get the bakery up and running and-"

"ALICE!" I shouted into the phone. "Fuck, breathe. What's the problem?"

"She hates me! I don't know what to do with her! Help me!"

I snorted, rubbing the bridge of my nose. "Okay, so I have to leave by one but I can come over for a little while and help. Remember how I worked at the daycare when I was school? Everything will be fine. Just turn on PBS kids until I get there."

"Okay, thank you!" She breathed and I heard something break in the background. "Hurry."

It normally took me ten minutes to get there but I got to Alice's place in seven. I was more worried about Alice's sanity than I was the child. I didn't even bother to knock either, I just came in.

Sitting in front of the television was a little blond girl with big blue eyes and puffy pink lips, just like Jasper and Rosalie's. She was dressed just so in her skirt and shirt, even wearing cute little boots to go with them. Alice was nowhere to be seen.

"Hi there," I said, squatting next to the girl. "Whatcha watching?"

"Word World," she answered, not that I knew what that was. Her eyes didn't even move off the screen.

"Awesome," I replied in a soft voice. "Do you know where your Aunt Alice is?"

"She said she was going to get a drink."

Oh, great. Alice was going to get smashed. That was one way to deal with children badly.

"Okay, I'll go find her. Would you like me to bring you something to drink?"

"No, thank you."

I stood up and walked back towards the kitchen. Sure enough, Alice was drinking something out of a tumbler. She didn't even greet me. She just ran to me and gave me a hug. "THANK YOU!"

I laughed, hugging her in return. "You're welcome. She doesn't seem that bad. She's watching TV right now."

"I tried TV before. She didn't like what was on. And she broke my glasses. I just don't know what to do with her. I don't have any toys or anything."

"You know, children don't always need toys to be entertained."

Alice took a big drink. "Well, I don't know how to entertain her."

"You know, for a woman who acts like a big kid sometimes, you're clueless. What's her name?"

"Bridget."

Just then the little girl came in her arms behind her back. "The show is over and now Barney is on. It's stupid. Can I do something else?"

I looked over at Alice, whose eyes were wide with worry and rolled my own. Linking my arms with her I started to walk towards the doorway where the kid stood. "Hey, Bridget. I'm Bella. I'm a friend of your Aunt Alice. Well, you see, there is something I've really _really_ wanted to do but I wasn't sure I would be able to. Your Aunt Alice said that you might be able to help me. Do you think you can?"

She pursed her lips and rocked on her heels, really thinking it over. I loved how kids worked sometimes. Most the time they seemed brighter than a lot of adults. "It depends on what it is."

"Well, I've been wanting to play hide and seek. I know it sounds silly but I haven't done it in a very long time and I haven't found anyone to play with. Do you think we can play while your aunt has _one_ drink?" I looked over at Alice with a raised eyebrow. She grinned widely, nodding her head.

Well, I never expected to mark it off the list like this but it would certainly do!

"OKAY!" She nodded excitedly. "Can I hide?! My mommy says I'm the best at hiding!"

"Okay, that works for me but there is one rule in this game, okay?" I said, looking at her very seriously. She nodded her head, hanging on my every word. "You can't break anything."

"Okay!" She laughed before running in the opposite direction of me. "Close your eyes! I'm going to hide!"

"I love you, Bella," Alice said, leaning into me. "You are brilliant and beautiful and if we were lesbians, I'd marry you right now."

"Good to know I have options," I snorted. "Just in case this whole heterosexual thing doesn't work out. And just to let you know I meant ONE drink! You're going to end up paying me for babysitting if you end up passed out on the couch."

"Okay," she laughed, heading towards the living room. "I'll just have one. See why I don't have kids?"

"Totally," I nodded. "Alright, I think I've given her enough time to hide. Any rooms in this house I should be afraid of?"

"Nope," she giggled. "No dungeons. You guys have free reign of the house. Go for it!"

Bridget and I took turns hiding. Not surprisingly I was better at finding and she was better at hiding. I could have sat on the couch with Alice and she would have taken twenty minutes to find me. If anything else, it was a good time waster.

It was my turn to search when I came down the hall. One of the doors that was closed before, one we hadn't been in yet, was now open. As I came into look for her I stopped in awe. And I wasn't the only one.

It was Alice's painting studio and there were canvases everywhere. Some were big, some small, with paint and without. Some of the paintings were just blobs while others were very realistic. I had yet to see the studio in person.

Bridget who had also become distracted in the middle of the massive room and turned to me with an excited expression. "I WANT TO PAINT!"

"Um, I don't know about that, sweetie. We'll have to ask your aunt first," I informed her.

The small girl ran out of the room like a bat out of hell towards the living room. I barely got to the door when I heard a squeal of joy from the small girl. I glanced at my watch and realized the time. It was just after eleven and I knew Alice wouldn't be able to get the poor thing fed without spazzing.

"We have to eat lunch before we do anything else!" I shouted. The three-year-old agreed happily and sat in front of the television while Alice and I prepared something to eat for her.

Alice didn't exactly know what was kid-friendly, making me smirk. "Bridget, do you like cheese?" I shouted from the kitchen.

"YES!" She shouted back.

"That narrows it down," Alice rolled her eyes. "Now what to do with cheese?"

It was now my turn to roll my eyes. "You've got cheese, butter, and homemade bread and you don't know what to make? I bet Jasper's homemade bread would make some kick-ass grilled cheeses."

"Sounds good to me!" Alice said.

Lunch came together quickly after that. We shared sandwiches and chips with juice to drink. I even got the little girl to eat some fruit, even though she didn't want to at first.

After lunch, we all went into Alice's studio to paint. "Go get one of your old tank tops or something for her to wear so she doesn't get all dirty," I said, nodding towards the small child.

"I want to paint on that one!" Bridget said, her chubby little finger pointing towards the largest canvas in the room. It was probably ten by ten, bigger than some people's rooms.

"Whatever you want to do," Alice said as she came back with the shirt. We got her undressed and slipped the tank top on. Even as small as Alice was it still dragged the floor. Alice brought in some ribbon and used it to make it so it was more like a dress than a tent.

Alice pulled out tons of different paints and brushes, telling the little girl to have at it. I was surprised that she was able to let go of some of the control that was obvious even in this chaotic room. Alice wasn't really good at that normally.

"Will you paint with me, Bella?" Bridget asked. Alice had decided to work on a smaller canvas, sitting in front of a table on a stool. I agreed with a small smile. "Would you paint the top? I want to make blue skies for my houses and peoples."

"Sure baby, I'd love to," I said, grabbing a huge brush that looked like something you would use to paint a house and dipped it into the baby blue paint. Soon I was just as immersed in my painting as the girl was.

"Hey, Bella," Alice called over with a small smile. "I think that counts as something crafty."

I laughed. "You're right. Now I just need to find someone who knits so they can teach me how to."

"I know how to crochet," Alice shrugged.

"What's that?" I said, trying to make white fluffy clouds on my canvas sky. They kinda sorta looked like clouds anyway.

"Making stuff with one needle and some yarn."

"Oh! That's close enough!" I said excitedly. It was a little sad that I got so happy over crossing something off of my list. At least it was something easy.

"I want to too!" Bridget said. "Can I play with yarn?"

"Well sweetie, I need to get some more yarn but how about next time you come over we do it?" Alice said in a soft tone, trying to copy mine from earlier.

"Can we invite Bella over again?"

"If she wants to," Alice said, looking over at me with pleading eyes.

"I'd love to!" I said, rubbing the girl's shoulder gently, making her squeal with happiness.

Bridget gave up brushes not too long into it and began to use her fingers. They soon became completely covered in different colors, along with Alice's tank top. It was easy to see that the poor thing was getting tired, her eyes drooping as she swayed slightly.

"Think I should try to lay her down for a nap?" Alice mouthed. We looked at her for a long time, trying to figure out the answer or if she would do it willingly or not. The little girl took no notice of us as she lifted her shirt and scratched her butt with her paint covered hand.

Alice almost fell out of the stool laughing. "I think that's enough for today."

"Yeah, I think so too," I giggled. "Bridget baby, it's time to go wash your hands. Use the sink in the corner with the special pink soap."

"Okey dokey," she girl yawned, scampering off to the sink. Thankfully there was already a stepping stool over there for her to use.

"Do you think you've got it from here?" I asked, going over to Alice.

"Yeah, Edward will be here in a little while to pick her up. I have to go to a gallery," Alice shrugged. "I think she'll nap. Or at the very least watch TV. You sure you don't want to cancel on your client and stay until Edward comes?" Alice smiled at me wickedly.

I bit my lip. "As tempting as that sounds, I can't."

"He'll be sad that he missed you," she said quietly.

I wasn't sure what to say to that so I decided to ignore it. "I need to get moving. I've got to go back to the apartment to get some things before the meeting."

I walked up to Bridget and gave her a hug around the waist as she washed her hands. "You be a good girl and I had a really good time. You be good for Edward later, okay?"

"Okay!" She agreed. "I like going to cousin Edward's house. He lets me play his piano!"

"Alright, sweetie. Have fun," I said before kissing the top of her head. "Bye." She was a sweet kid and I liked her.

After going to the meeting I really wished I had just stayed with the kiddo and Alice. I felt like I got nowhere with my client who really didn't seem to know what they wanted. It was an hour wasted of my time, which was frustrating. It happened though.

After the meeting, I went home and did some other work for people who actually knew what they wanted. I would be launching a new website for a new burger place by the end of the week and I still had to put some finishing touches on it. I was so involved in the work that I jumped when the phone rang around five.

"Hello?" I asked without even looking at who was calling.

"Ello," Edward's voice came from the other side.

"Oh! Hey, Edward! What's up?"

"I just want to thank you for helping with Bridge. I know she can be a bit wild at times. Normally I'm her babysitter when Emmett has to do things but I had to work this morning. This was Alice's first time and she said she didn't handle it very well until you helped."

"Oh, no problem. I had a great time. She's a good girl," I assured him. "Why do you always end up watching her?" I asked.

"Because I rarely work in the mornings. Rosalie's parent's work still and Emmett's parents, my grandparents, aren't around anymore. Everyone else is just busy. Besides, I like watching her. She's fun."

I giggled, smiling at his comment. "I can see that. She said you let her play with your piano."

"I'm _trying_ to teach her, but that's easier said than done. I don't know how my parents got me to settle down to play. Oh, BY THE WAY..." he said, beginning to laugh.

"What?"

"I got yelled at by Rose because Bridge had a rainbow-colored handprint on her bum. How did that happen?" He said, continuing to laugh. I began to laugh myself, rubbing my forehead.

"Hey! I was willing to paint and play hide and seek with her, not wash her butt when she got paint on it! I'm not related to her."

He chuckled softly before clearing his throat. "Anyway, really thank you. Bridget is my girl and I'm glad she has a new friend."

"A girl can always use more friends," I told him in return. "I know I'm thankful for my friends, _new_ and old."

There was a silence on the other end of the phone before Edward's voice answered softly, "I'm thankful for mine as well."

**I love an Edward that's good with kids!**

**Reviews are motivation! Please send loves!**

**Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Beginner's luck**

Friday came without much else happening. Exercise, eat, work- it seemed to be my life. Not that I was complaining. My skinny jeans were becoming more and more comfortable by the day. That may have been because I kept wearing them without washing them for fear they would shrink in the washing machine and I would never be able to wear them again.

It was just around four when Alice called me. She hadn't been at the gym earlier that day since she had to meet with a seller. "What are you working this weekend?" She asked without a single hello.

"Well, my website says that I am available Monday through Friday, eight to five but I seem to work all the time," I answered sarcastically.

"No," Alice sighed. "You know what I mean. Are you meeting with anyone or anything?"

"Nope," I said, looking over the information a dog groomer wanted me to add to their website. A dancing Scottie dog in a Santa hat. It made me giggle a little. "Why?"

"Pack a bag, I'll be over an hour."

"What? Wait, huh?" I said, closing the email.

"I want to thank you for helping with Bridget. I'm going to help you cross something off your list. Now, pack a bag! We're taking the next flight out of DFW!"

"No, wait! Alice, I can't. I mean, I can do something over the weekend but it has to be within reason. I don't want to spend a ton of money or be on a plane for two days straight."

"It was your list," she reminded me.

"I realize and I realize when I wrote it that I drunk. But, if I was sober when I first wrote it the list would have said WITHIN REASON."

"Fine, fine. Within reason then. Pack a bag! I'm heading over soon."

I guess there was no stopping a determined Alice. I closed up everything and went to my room to pack a quick carry on bag. A toothbrush, a small perfume and a sample toothpaste that I had along with a brush. I also packed two shirts, a pair of capris, a skirt, underwear, and a nightgown to sleep in. The last thing I slipped in was a pair of sandals. It would just have to do.

I had just put on a thin sweater when Alice knocked on my door. She was too giddy for words. "Are you ready to get this party started?"

"You're nuts. You know that, right?" I said as I followed her to the elevator. She giggled, smiling as she leaned against the wall.

"Of course I do! But that's half the fun. I wonder where we'll end up. I hope it's someplace cool with lots to do," she said with a little sigh, leaning her head back. "Maybe it'll be Mexico!"

"I said within reason, which means I didn't bring a passport. No Mexico."

"Aw, that sucks," she pouted. "I guess we'll just have to see then."

It took forever to get to the airport, damn traffic. By the time we got there, it was already six o'clock. We went up to the ticket counter and the perky cashier greeted us. I had no idea how to phrase what I needed. "Um, let's see. We'd like the soonest flight leaving under say... three hundred bucks. In the country."

"We're having a spur of the moment girls weekend!" Alice added with a big smile, leaning against the counter.

"Um, okay," the cashier said, scrunching up her eyebrows as she typed away. "We have a flight leaving for Shreveport, Louisiana in twenty minutes. The tickets are 192 a piece. That is a round trip though, returning on Sunday evening. You did say it was a weekend. Would that work for you?"

"What's in Shreveport?" Alice asked, frowning slightly as she thought hard. Only one thing came to my mind and it made me smile. Sometimes you just couldn't miss the signs as you drove down the interstate.

"Casinos."

"Two tickets for Shreveport, please!" Alice said excitedly, handing the girl her credit card. I began to argue but she stopped me. "I'm repaying you for your help."

"Yeah, okay. Babysitters get paid like five dollars an hour. At most, you should buy me lunch."

"I'm not just talking about watching Bridge. I mean with me. Ever since we've moved back to Dallas I felt uninspired and I was having trouble painting. But since you came back into my life I haven't been able to stop. That is worth more than two hundred dollars."

All I could do was hug Alice. She was such a sweet person.

Twenty minutes later we were sitting on the plane, waiting for it to take off.

"Hey, Jazz... Just wanted to let you know that we're going to Shreveport for the weekend. I love you and I'll see you on Sunday night. Be a good boy," Alice said, leaving a message on Jasper's voicemail.

"Be a good boy," I snickered as she turned off her cell phone. Mine was already turned off and in my pocket. "How old is he?"

"He's still young enough to get into trouble," she laughed. "I just hope Emmett doesn't get him too drunk. They're going to a strip club tonight."

"You're not worried?"

"Gosh, no. They're both married. He can have his fun. It's not like I've never been to a strip club myself. _Oo_!" She said suddenly, turning to look at me.

"I'm not going to a strip club," I answered bluntly. Alice instantly began to pout. "No, I'm sorry. There are just certain things I don't want swinging in my face, in front of people anyway."

"Fine," she answered but instantly brightened as the drink cart passed. Alice ordered us two glasses of cheap champagne. "To rekindled friendships and girls' weekends."

"Where I'll end up totally broke," I laughed, clinking my glass to hers. "I hope I don't lose my shirt. Stop me from spending too much, okay?"

"Only if you keep me from doing the same."

"Deal," I agreed. I slammed down my champagne just as the captain announced we were about to take off.

The flight took a grand total of forty-five minutes and then we were at the counter for rental cars. Alice, of course, rented a sports car. It was a brand new Mustang. I just rolled my eyes.

We thought it would be harder to get to the casinos but the signs were EVERYWHERE. They were literally every two inches. The only problem was picking one. There seem to be like ten different ones from what I could tell.

"What do you think? Horseshoe? Sam's town?"

I had never heard of Sam's town but I had heard of the Horseshoe. I think anyone that had ever watched a movie with a casino in it knew about the Horseshoe.

"Horseshoe."

"Wow, this is really... tacky," I said as I looked over the marble insides of the casino. There was gold everywhere. I wasn't really surprised though.

"Ah, it's a casino," she dismissed me with her hand. "So, what first? Cards, dice, slots?"

"Slots," I said with a shrug. "We'll start easy and work our way up."

I squealed a little in my head when they checked my ID. That always made a girl feel better about herself. As we waited for verification of my age we made small talk with the security guards.

"So, you're from Dallas. Ever been here before?" The man asked, eying the plastic card before handing it over to another guard to double check.

"Nope, first time," I answered. Alice was next and the guard did a double take. Alice looked almost the same she did when she was twenty.

"Well then. There is this ritual for first-timers. You run your fingers along the million dollar wall here for good luck," he said, nodding towards the wall right beside him. I thought it was just wallpaper but apparently, it really was a million dollars. "But you have to keep your hand on it the entire time until you get to the entrance."

"And that brings you luck?" Alice said, smiling stupidly. "Come on, Bella. We'll both do it."

"Good luck, ladies," both guards called as we dragged our fingers over the glass-covered million dollar wall.

"I hope that worked," Alice said as she got to the very end. "Mama needs a new Gucci purse."

I laughed, rolling my eyes. "Just about as much as you need a new Porsche."

"Yeah, but I feel less guilty when the money isn't earned but won. Makes it more fun," she said with a wicked little smile. "So, this is your party. Tell me what you want to do first."

"Slots," I repeated, pointing to a machine. The floor seemed to be mostly table games but there were some machines scattered around. There were some that looked more like video games but others that looked like from the classic movies. What I thought of as a slot machine was something with an arm that you pulled and everything. I walked to the first one I saw, a machine with a single line and a dollar minimum bet. "Um, just put my money in and go?"

"Yup, put it in and press a button."

So I did, accidentally hitting the max bet button which turned out to be three dollars. It was obvious by my face that I didn't mean to. Alice snickered. "I didn't mean that one."

"Oops," I laughed and shrugged. There were so many sights and sounds that I barely registered that the machine began to ding. "Oh! I won. Think I got my money back?" Alice didn't answer. I turned to look at her and her eyes were wide and surprised, a finger pointing at the top of the machine that showed the jackpots. "Alice?"

"You won!" She squealed.

"Yeah, what? Ten bucks?"

"No, the jackpot! Look! Look! Woo!" She said, jumping up and down. "You won! You won! You won!"

"What?"

Within a minute there was a person who worked at the casino right beside me, telling me congrats. And then another. And another.

Right after taxes, I won around ten thousand dollars.

"I think the wall worked," Alice giggled after I signed all the paperwork. The whole ordeal took about twenty minutes to get settled. One of the people that came over took our picture and offered us a free suite for the night in the hotel that was attached. We couldn't turn down a free hotel. We decided we were going to get some food to go and go up to our room to eat before playing some more.

"You think?" I snorted. "So, we're going to stay here both nights?"

"Works for me! We don't even have to leave the casino."

"That sounds like such a bad idea."

"Sounds like fun though, huh?" Alice giggled, leaning into me. I rolled my eyes but smiled. I needed to have a good time, that was for sure.

After our late dinner, Alice decided to call Jasper to see what he was up to. She also wanted to inform him of our good luck. So, I was left alone in the 'living room' area of the suite while she talked to him in the bedroom.

I pouted. I will admit it. I didn't like not having someone to tell about my good fortune. If I told my mother she would tease me. My father would tell me to put it in the bank and even though that's mostly what I was going to do, it wasn't fun to hear. I didn't want to ruin my buzz. I glanced at my phone and realized that it was just after ten and maybe I did have someone to call.

"Ello?" His groggy voice answered. I felt instantly bad for calling Edward.

"I'm sorry. Did I wake you up?"

"No, no. Don't ever feel sorry for calling me. What's up?" He said softly.

"I just wanted to talk a minute. You'll never believe where I am."

"In bed, nude, I do hope?" He teased. I clicked my tongue at his silliness, making him chuckle. "No? Okay, so where are you?"

"In Shreveport."

"In Shreveport? What the bloody hell are you doing in Louisiana?"

"Well, Alice wanted to do a spur of the moment girl's weekend," I kind of lied, kind of didn't. I still hadn't told him about my list and wasn't making any plans to. "So we decided to go to the casinos."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot that they had those. I haven't been to a casino since I lived in California," he said and I could hear him rolling over in his bed. I had woken him up. I could just imagine his hair wild and all over the place. It was a cute image.

"You lived in California?" I asked, getting back to the conversation.

"Yeah, for about a year. It's a long story but that's really how Jasper and I became friends," he said quietly. "Anyway, are you winning?"

"Actually, I won on the first spin."

"Awesome! How much did you win, sweetheart?"

"Well, it was around sixteen thousand, but after taxes, it was around ten thousand."

There was a silence over the phone for a long second. "Holy shit. I need to go gamble with you, love. I have horrible luck. Maybe some of yours will rub off on me."

I giggled softly. "Yeah, maybe one day. I'm really lucky that there aren't any casinos in Dallas because I would be broke!"

Alice came out of the room, a dopey grin on her face. "Ready when you are!"

"Hey, Edward. Why don't you go back to sleep? Alice and I are going to go play some more," I informed him.

"Alright. Good luck then. Call me tomorrow and tell me if you win a million, okay?"

"What? Want to borrow money?" I teased him.

"Hm," he hummed in thought. "No. But if you do I'll take you out to dinner to celebrate."

"You'll only take me out for a million? Nothing less?"

"I'd take you out if you came out penniless. But, if you win, it just gives me an excuse. Not that I would need one."

"Edward," I breathed, rubbing my forehead. There went to the carefree easy conversation.

"Sorry. Goodnight, Bella."

"Goodnight," I replied, snapping the phone shut.

"So-" Alice began but I quickly stopped that.

"Shut up," I muttered as I stood.

"I didn't say anything," she laughed. "Someone's touchy."

"Someone's ready to play," I answered back. I handed her ten one hundred dollar bills. "A thousand for me to play, a thousand for you, a thousand to eat and such with and the rest is going in my savings. Enjoy."

"Wait! No! I can't take your money, Bella," she argued. I just shook my head.

"I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. Now, I'm not giving you anymore so if you lose it all you have to spend your own money after that," I said, shoving my money into my pocket. She didn't say anything but instead gave me a big hug.

We played until three in the morning, trying every possible slot machine we could find. I decided to just stick with those. They seemed like more fun. When I finally crawled into bed, Alice beside me, I went to sleep within five minutes.

Damn perky Alice was up at nine. Apparently, there was a breakfast buffet and she wanted to hit it. That was a temptation I could not pass up. I would have to exercise a bit extra the next week. Hopefully, I wouldn't gain any weight.

I ate eggs, yogurt, hash browns, bacon, sausage and crepes covered in bananas fosters with actual bourbon in it. It was awesome and I could practically feel my ass grow. But hey, I had to have fun sometimes. This was the first time since the whole 'cake' thing that I had splurged.

We decided to wander the shops for a little while before we went inside the casino. Everything was extremely overpriced, but it was fun to look. While we were looking in the jewelry shop I felt a buzz in my pocket. A text message waited for me.

"_A millionaire yet?"_ Edward asked.

"_Not yet_," I replied.

"_What a shame. I wanted to borrow a 20 ;) Have fun."_

I giggled to myself as I typed an answer in. "_Oh, I always have fun. And how lame, only 20?"_

"_Yup, just 20 so I could take you out to fancy dinner of pizza_," he replied back quickly. I snorted, rolling my eyes.

"_Oooo, I'm impressed already."_

"_I knew you would be." _I snorted out loud. I began to type but I got another message before I could send it. "_I miss our emails today. I've got to go to work but will you call me later?"_

"_What time?"_ I asked. I didn't want to wake him up.

"_Whenever you want. I just miss talking to you. Good luck, Bella." _

Dammit, why did he have to be so damn charming?

We finally went into the casino and didn't come out until around seven in the evening. Alice was down a hundred bucks from what I had given her and I was up around fifty. I didn't bet as high as she did and enjoyed the penny slots more. Not that you spent much less on those but it felt like it. We ate again, this time at the steakhouse where we shared a bottle of wine. I got pasta and Alice got a big bowl of gumbo. We split a dessert of black tie mousse cake as well. It was delicious.

I was definitely going to gain weight this week. _Oh well_. I was still doing pretty good.

We went back in, Alice determined to get her money back. She just lost another hundred where I gained another three. She was not pleased in the least. It was rather funny.

We decided to head up to the room sooner that night, both of us really tired. It was just around midnight when we came into the room. Alice headed straight to the bedroom, going to take a bath before heading to bed. I would take a shower in the morning before we left out for the day.

So, I sat in the living room and looked at my phone. I tried to decide if I wanted to bother Edward or not. I did kind of say I would or at least didn't say I wouldn't. And he said whenever.

So I dialed before I could really think about it. He wanted me to call so I did.

"Mm, good evening," Edward's voice said smoothly, obviously awake and awaiting my call.

"Good evening to you too. How are you doing?"

"Alright. I had a busy day. Three weddings," he said, his voice sounding tired. "I just got back in about an hour ago. And now I'm relaxing with a beer or three."

"Oh, that sounds nice," I said, laying across the couch. I toed my shoes off, putting my cheek on the palm of my hand as I lounged on my side. "I think I could use a beer right about now."

"If you were in town I'd say you could come over and have one with me. I'd love the company."

"Even if you're tired?" I asked.

"After the long day that I've had? Yes. Being in the company of a beautiful woman with a beer sounds like the perfect cure for my day," he said smoothly before sighing. "Sorry. This is my second beer and I'm tired. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"You didn't," I said softly, feeling my cheeks heat slightly. "You're too sweet but I'm sure there are plenty of beautiful women who'd want to share a drink with you."

"Maybe, but I only want to share it with you."

"Edward," I said quietly, closing my eyes as my cheeks heated.

"I know. I know, I'm sorry."

"You're just making it hard on me," I whispered before taking a deep breath. "Anyway, did you at least come out with clean shoes today?"

"Yeah, thank god. Win any more money?"

"A little bit," I shrugged. "Alice is going to be the penniless one though. She's doing awful."

"She's never had any luck when it comes to gambling," he chuckled.

I yawned softly, humming as I stretched my arms over my head. "Gosh, I'm tired."

"Go to bed, love. I'm tired as well. I might turn in myself," he said, his accent thick. I noticed that his accent became thicker when he was tired. Or turned on.

_Jesus, mind out of the gutter. _

"Okay, sweet dreams..."

"Mm," he moaned and I could tell he was stretching as well. I could just imagine how his tee shirt raised a little bit above his stomach, exposing his white skin. _Yum_. "Of course, love. If the last thing I hear before I fall asleep is your beautiful voice, then I'm bound to have wonderful dreams."

_Dammit_...

"Goodnight, Edward," I stuttered out stupidly.

His voice was soft in reply. And sexier than I had ever heard it before."Goodnight, love."

Like I could sleep after that.

_Dammit, Dammit, Dammit..._

So I turned on the television, though that seemed to be a horrible idea. Halloween was only a couple weeks away and every channel seemed to do something with horror. Not ideal for sleeping. Finally, I came to a movie that was more cheese than blood and gore. Dracula 2000.

Hey, Gerard Butler is hot. I especially liked his outfit and hair. And the girl reminded me of Alice, which made me laugh. I could totally see Alice kicking a vampire's ass. She was a lot meaner than most people expected her to be, especially when she wanted to be.

I think I fell asleep right after the main character found out that Dracula was actually Judas. I always liked that little twist. Kind of made sense, I suppose. Not really. But, I still liked it anyway.

Then, I began to dream...

_I was wearing a red dress of all things, the fabric whipping around me due to the wind though I was not sure where the wind was coming from. I seemed to be in a dark room with only a canopy bed. That was the only thing that seemed to be lit. _

"_Hello?" I called, looking for someone for some reason. I just knew they were there, too. _

"_So beautiful," Edward's thick English accent called to me, making me turn quickly on my bare feet. Of course, he was wearing the exact outfit from the stupid movie, his wild red hair moving in the wind. He was obviously a vampire. "So so beautiful."_

Stupid fucking movie.

"_What are we doing here?" I asked him, moving closer. I was drawn to him. I had been drawn to him from the first moment I saw him. _

"_I can only be so patient for so long," he cooed, ignoring my question. "Only for so long, beautiful one. My patience has run thin."_

"_Give me time!" I begged him in the dream. As I walked up to him. When my hands reached out to touch him, he disappeared. _

"_Time? Why? I see that you want me as I want you. Why wait?" His thick voice said, washing over me. _

"_Because I need it! Please! I'm almost ready."_

I kind of doubted that phrase was true. Even in my dream, I knew it wasn't. I had a lot of issues to work on just yet. I needed to know him better. I just wasn't ready.

"_Tick tock," he breathed in my ear as his nose skimmed over my flesh. I felt his hands skim over my waist, pulling me./ to his chest. "Time is running out. I won't wait forever."_

_I felt his erection press against my ass as he growled against my neck, fueling the fire that was burning in the pit of my stomach. "Edward-" _

"_Time's up!" He snapped seconds before his teeth penetrated my flesh. _

I screamed and rolled off the couch and onto the floor. "Son of a bitch!" I hissed, rubbing my butt as stood up. As I looked outside I saw the sun right above the horizon. It was just after seven. "I swear to God," I mumbled, rubbing my back as I made my way to the bathroom. "I'm not watching any more vampire movies before bed. I need a shower."

"Good morning, sunshine!" Alice called to me as she stretched in her perfect silk pajamas, her eye mask resting on her forehead.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." I mumbled, stomping to the bathroom. Casinos were fun and all, but I was ready to go home. I needed to throw myself back into work so I didn't have to think about certain people and certain dreams for a while.

"Well, I think someone woke up on the wrong side of the couch this morning!"

_No_, someone just woke up on the floor. That was never the best way to start the day.

**I have to throw my hometown into stories. If you've read my other stuff you know what I'm talking about. If not, check out my story Blind ;) **

**Reviews=motivation. Sends loads, please!**

**Thanks for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Buxom Blond Beauty**

I kissed my bed when I got home from Shreveport. I just flopped down and literally kissed it, mumbling about how I missed it. And how it was my baby and I loved it. Yeah, well, I didn't have a pet. I had to love something in my apartment.

In the end, I came home with around nine thousand and Alice was about five hundred in the hole. I didn't ask how and I didn't want to know. But, just watching her lose made me lose the desire to play for a while. It's all fun and games until someone can't pay the electric bill.

Not that Alice couldn't, but if I played as badly as she did... Well, that would have been a different story.

When I finally tore myself from my bed to check my email, I had only one that really caught my attention. It was from Edward.

It was titled _Stupid Ass._

_I'm sorry I was such a stupid ass on the phone Saturday night. I had a couple of beers and hadn't eaten anything. I don't hold my liquor very well. I hope I didn't make you feel uncomfortable. Not that what I said wasn't true, I just know I should be careful of our boundaries. I hope that you can forgive me. _

_I hope that you have a wonderful time and please let me know when you get home safely. Alice says I'm a worrier and in this case, I agree... I just want to make sure you're okay._

_Sorry, I'm rambling. I'll stop now. _

I laughed. Poor Edward. It only seemed fair to put him out of his misery, so to speak. He seemed to feel so bad and there really wasn't a need to. Taking my phone I crawled back into my bed and dialed his number.

"I made it home safe," I said in way of greeting.

"That's good to know," a female voice said. A sultry deep female voice. _What the hell? _

"I'm sorry, I guess I dialed the wrong number..." I trailed off.

"Are you looking for Edward? Hold on."

What in the world was this woman doing at his place so late at night? Jesus, had my dream come true so quickly?

And why was I so mad? I didn't have any right to him. I mean, I was attracted to him and we did share a night together, but what was that? Nothing in the world to such a handsome man.

All these thoughts happened very quickly. Before I could spew any of those angry venom-like thoughts out loud, I heard Edward say, "thanks, Aunt Carmen," just before he took the phone. "Ello?"

"Edward," I breathed out, feeling my cheeks heat up.

"Bella! Oh! Um, hi! How are you?"

"Fine. I just wanted to let you know that I got home okay. I didn't want you to worry," I mumbled, feeling totally embarrassed by the whole thing. "You seem busy. I'll let you go."

"No, no. My aunt was just about to go. Let me walk her out and I'll be right back," he said quickly before pulling the phone away from his ear. "Buenas noches, tía. Gracias por la cena. Tan bueno."

I didn't know he spoke Spanish.

"Te amo. Ser un buen chico," came her reply.

"Siempre," he laughed before bringing the phone back up to his ear. "Sorry, back."

"What did you have for dinner?" I asked in way of letting him know that I spoke Spanish as well.

"Oh, um, she made me some turkey with mole. It was really good," he said, becoming shy for some reason. "Habla español?"

"Soy Texana" I laughed. "I thought it was required."

"I was just hoping you'd speak a little for me," he admitted. I bit my lip and felt my face heat up slightly. "You know, it's always good to keep in practice."

"Practice, sure," I replied. "Anyway, why are you speaking Spanish with your aunt? Didn't want me to hear the whole sordid conversation?" I teased him.

"Well, she's Hispanic, for one. She's more comfortable speaking Spanish. She's my Mother's late brother's wife. They met in Mexico City and he brought her back here. Since he's passed she's decided to go back home," he said a bit sadly.

"That sucks," I said quietly. "Are you close?"

"She's my favorite aunt. That's okay. It just gives me an excuse to go visit Mexico. Always wanted to and never have."

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked him gently. There was a silence between us for a moment before he answered.

"Maybe one day, but not right now. You're sweet to ask though. Um, anyway, while I had you on the phone I wanted to ask you something."

"What's that?"

"Alice said something about you wanting to celebrate Halloween and well, I'm playing at a club that night. I'd love to see you again and I was wondering if you girls would want to come along. It's a speakeasy theme. I'll be doing ragtime music. Should be fun."

"What?" I said surprised, shaking my head to clear the fog that the idea of Edward in gangster garb brought on. Then I really thought about his question. "Yeah, okay. Sure. I'll talk to Alice about it."

"Really?" He said slowly before getting a little more excited. "Really! Alright then. Fantastic. Talk to Alice and we'll work out the details later."

"Okay," I giggled at how excited he was. It was really cute. He was cute. "Um, well I'm exhausted. It's been a long weekend. I have a lot of work to catch up on tomorrow so I'm going to head onto bed."

"Alright, love," he said cheerfully. "Sweet dreams."

Gah, why did he have to say it in that sexy British voice? Every damn time, too! It certainly didn't inspire me to go to sleep, but that night I didn't have much choice. I just passed out.

"OH! Good, so he finally asked you!" Alice giggled beside me on the step machine. I was going to put an extra twenty minutes on my workouts for the rest of the week. I had gained two pounds after my weekend at the casino and I was determined to get that off and more. "If he didn't, I told him I was. He's been talking about it for a week now. So do you want to go?"

"Sure. I mean, it gets two things off my list. Halloween and Dance club."

Alice began to snicker, shaking her head. "Bella, it's not just a club. It's a gay club."

"Gay club?" I asked in surprise. "Why is Edward playing there?"

"I asked him the same thing. Apparently, he wasn't going to work on Halloween at all but they offered him extremely good money. He said it would pay the rent for a month, so who am I to argue?"

"Hm," I replied, not really knowing what else to say.

"So, what do you say? Perfect opportunity."

"What will I wear?" I asked.

"Um, DUH! Do you really have to ask? It's going to be the roaring twenties theme. It's practically a built-in choice." She rolled her eyes. "Next week we will go to a costume shop and get everything we need. This is going to be SO MUCH FUN!" She squealed.

"Oh, my god! My wife is a drag king," Jasper said sarcastically after we came out in our costumes the following week. Alice decided to be a gangster. Complete with pinstripes and fedora. She even shoved a sock in a pair of boy shorts. When she asked me if it was too big I almost died from laughter. How often does your female best friend ask you if her make-believe penis is too big?

I was wearing a red and black flapper costume, with fishnets and tiny little heels. Alice was all excited because she said I crossed another thing off my list but I told her no. When I wrote heels I meant four inch break your neck if you fall heels. I would not be wearing those to a club though.

"Jasper, what do you think of Bella's? Alice asked, making me turn around slowly. "Look! It's a size twelve! Doesn't she look amazing."

"She does..." He trailed off, looking me over slowly. I felt like a showpiece.

"But?" Alice said, rolling her hands.

"Her hair isn't right." He frowned. "I mean, you look fucking hot, Bella, but your hair needs to be different."

"You sure you don't want to join us at the _gay_ club?" I asked Jasper with a raised eyebrow. He smirked as his cheeks flamed slightly.

"I said you look hot. I'd do you. Jesus, ladies, don't ask me questions unless you want to hear the answers," he said, stomping off.

"I hate to admit it, but he's right. Your hair just isn't the style," Alice said, tapping her finger to her lips.

"I'm not cutting it," I said, "and I don't want to wear a wig. It'll just have to do."

"Hey... I've got an idea," she smiled wickedly. I was instantly frightened.

"What?"

"Dye your hair a crazy color for Halloween! What's a better excuse? Oo, what color should we do? Red? Purple? Blue?" She started to go over the ideas in her head, pacing around me.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa..." I said, slowing her down.

"It's on your list! You want to, don't you?" She said, cocking her hip to the side. The action looked funny in the suit. Very female. _Maybe we should switch costumes_. I certainly didn't feel girly.

"Well, yeah. I guess. But purple?"

"I'll make an appointment at my salon for tomorrow! That way it'll be ready for the party. Oh, that'll be awesome!"

"I'm picking the color," I warned her.

"Of course."

"And make another appointment for the day after Halloween, so I can dye it back to a normal color."

"Aw! But why?" She whined. "Why don't you stay a funky color for at least a week?"

"Because I have a business to run and a ton of client meetings next week. I don't want to look like a Christmas tree," I argued. "I didn't say how long my hair would be a strange color."

"Blond? Your crazy color is BLOND?" Alice nearly shrieked the next day as we got ready for the party. The hairdresser had even styled it so that it was pinned up in the back and it looked shorter with cute little finger waves. I liked the style. The platinum blond? Not so much.

"I said I was going to pick," I raised an eyebrow at her as I put on my lipstick. I put it in that pouty, not in the corners, style of the twenties. My eye makeup was thick, my eyelashes heavy with mascara.

"Everyone dyes their hair blond. It's not crazy," she pouted as she combed back her ultra slicked back black hair.

"I didn't say it was crazy for everyone. But blond for me? Insanity," I snorted as she rolled her eyes. "Hey, it's just for a day anyway. It's going back to brunette tomorrow."

She placed a red carnation in her lapel, straightening her jacket before adjust her sock. "Yeah. I say you should have done it in red at the very least. Fire engine red to go with your dress."

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Ready when you are," I answered after I placed some black crystal bobbles in my ears, matching the necklace I was wearing. The silly thing actually went down to my waist. It was kind of cute though.

I heard the front door slam just as we came out the hallway from Alice's bedroom. Jasper just stood there, gaping like a fish as he took in my appearance.

"Wow."

"Wipe the drool from your chin," Alice smirked, leaning against the wall.

"You're blond," Jasper said, pointing at my hair.

"Like it?"

He nodded stupidly before his mouth opened and closed again.

"Oh! Jasper thinks the buxom blond Bella is a babe," Alice teased him. "I see how it is."

"No. I mean, yeah. She's, you're, hot. I'm just- wow, shocked is all. I didn't expect that. Honestly, wow. Edward is going to-"

"Don't warn Edward," Alice said, shaking her head. "I want to see his face. It'll be priceless."

"You know, I thought you didn't like my hair," I said, turning to Alice.

"I never said that. I just said that it wasn't crazy. You're totally hot. Remember what I said about being lesbians? It totally goes double now," she said, patting me on the backside before putting an arm over my shoulder. "So, come on, darlin. Let's go party," Alice said in her best Goodfellas voice.

"Hold on! Hold on!" Jasper called to us. "I need to take a picture before you leave. Honestly, do you think I'll let you out of the house like that without photographic evidence?"

We posed stupidly for him, me leaning into Alice with one leg kicked up and my lips puckered as she tried to look macho. I asked if I could get a picture of him kissing Alice but Jasper told me no. There was no amount of teasing that would have changed his mind either. He loved his wife, but not enough to kiss her while she had a sock shoved down her pants.

As we drove up Edward called my phone. I could hear the music playing from inside her Porsche, the same music pounding through the speaker. "Hey! I've got you on the guest list. Just walk up to the bouncer and tell them that you're with Cullen. That way you don't have to wait."

"Okay!" I shouted back.

"I'm going to be on the second floor. The show's about to start."

Show? Well, that was going to be interesting to see. I had no idea what was going to happen, but I sure it would be a new experience.

The bouncer gave me a twice over, a large smile on her face. My cheeks instantly heated. "Cullen."

"Oh, right. You're with the sexy redhead. He told me that two beautiful girls would be coming up. He wasn't lying."

Alice giggled, giving her best flirty smile. "Aw, thank you. You're so sweet."

I looked at her and she batted her eyelashes at me. Ah, I saw how she was going to play this evening. I snickered, leaning into her. "Well, you girls have a good Halloween! Enjoy!" The bouncer said, ushering us inside.

A heavy metal cover of _This is Halloween_ blasted through the sound system, people moving together as one. It was hard to tell one from the other. Everyone was dressed up, mostly in flapper wear. There were some random others, but tassels were everywhere.

"Let's go get a drink and then head upstairs. Edward said it would be starting at nine," Alice shouted over the music.

I ordered a cranberry and vodka and Alice ordered a beer. The bartender was super cute. Tall, dark, and handsome. He was wearing dress pants and suspenders, his hair slicked back a lot like Alice's. He winked at me as he twirled the bottle of vodka in the air, giving a heavy pour in a plastic cup.

Oh, yeah. It was going to be a fun night.

When we headed upstairs was when the gangster speakeasy theme really kicked in with the decorations. The place was dark and smoky and waitresses were dressed as cigarette girls. A piano was set up on a stage to the side and I couldn't imagine the shy Edward being comfortable being put on display like that.

"Come on! Let's go up front!" Alice said, scooting her way through the crowd to a somehow empty table. A lot of the tables up at the front were empty, surprisingly.

As soon as we sat, the lights got even dimmer as a spotlight focused on the front of the stage. "Hello Everyone!" A very effeminate voice called. But when you saw the person that belonged to the voice, it was obvious that they were born a male. Big hair, big fake breasts, bad makeup, and a gaudy dress- a drag queen to a T.

Oh! _Oh_... that's what kind of show it was going to be. When I realized, I started giggling. They must have been paying Edward some very good money to be playing here tonight.

"I am the divine Lady Mary. But, you may call me Goddess if you must. We have a very special show for you tonight. Before we get started, I'd like to introduce our piano player and eye candy for the night... the extremely handsome Edward Cullen!"

The entire crowd screamed and wolf called as he came over to the piano.

Any fantasy I had about him in a tux did not do him justice. He was beyond handsome. He was fucking sexy. I drooled. I'll admit it. Gah and his red hair was perfectly slicked back in that style.

_Nom... nom... nom... _

"Edward is very talented," Lady Mary said, walking over to the piano, "with his hands." The crowd whistled. Edward turned a flaming shade of red. "And he's humble too! Just to let everyone know, there is a tip cup on the piano if you feel the need to show your _appreciation_ for such a _talent_. Edward, say hello!"

"Ello," he mumbled into the mike. The entire crowd screamed.

"Oh, and did I mention that he was ENGLISH! Yum. Doesn't get much better, now does it?" They said, just as pleased as punch. "But don't bother the boy too much. He's straight. What a crying shame. Trust me… I tried!"

"I don't think they'll be able to offer Edward enough money next year for him to do this again," Alice snickered. "I've never seen Edward this red before."

"Poor thing," I giggled.

"My goodness! What a beautiful audience we have tonight. All dolled up! And just to see little old Lady Mary. I am honored," the announcer said, before going to different audience members. She teased them, toyed with them, and taunted them in good humor about their clothes or their dates.

This is when I realized why the front tables were mostly empty. "And looky here! Two very lovely ladies. And let me tell you," Mary said, looking down my ample cleavage, "she is all woman. What is your name my very blond beauty?"

"Um, Bella," I breathed quietly as my cheeks heated to a fiery level. Edward's head snapped over in my direction and his eyes went huge.

"A beautiful name to fit a lovely lady. And who may I ask is your gangster?"

"Alice!" She nearly shouted proudly. Mary laughed.

"Well, you're not shy at all, now are you? I bet you're a hellcat in bed. Is she, Bella?"

"I want to know when she's not a hellcat," I answered vaguely, earning cheers from the audience. I watched Edward smile slightly, his eyes casting a glance over to me shyly.

"Woo! That's exactly the kind of guests we want. The feisty ones!" Lady Mary as she walked up to the stage. She made some sort of signal with her hand and Edward began to play as other background music came on. It sounded like Gershwin, not that I was positive. "Mm, because you know the lady likes the feisty! I hope all of our flappers and gangsters enjoy the show tonight because it's going to be a scream!"

Then Edward began to play another song. I knew it right off. Most people did. This time it was just him. A soft voice came before the curtain opened, exposing probably the most beautiful drag queen I had ever seen. Not that I saw many. But, I was jealous of how pretty she was.

"_Summertime and the livin is easy... the fish are jumpin and the cotton is high... your daddy's rich and your ma is good looking..."_

After the first song, people came up to give Edward tips, flirting with them as they did. Poor thing. He was so embarrassed. They weren't just tipping him though, but the singers. The next singer came on, singing actually one of my favorite songs of all time. Not a lot of people knew it, but I did.

My mother's son in law, by Billie Holiday. And I had to say, I hoped the singer did it justice.

"Here," Alice said, handing me a five dollar bill. "Go give his to Edward."

"Why me?" I asked, looking at the folded up money.

"You know why you."

"No."

"Go."

"No."

Then she gave me that evil _I'm not going to give up until I win look_ and I sighed. "Go give him the money."

"This is so high school," I groaned as I stood. It was like passing a note before we went to the buses or something.

I walked up slowly to the stage, climbing the two stairs to put the money in the cup. He didn't look at me as he played, his eyes closed as he focused on the music in his head. I leaned in close and whispered in his ear. "You play beautifully."

He almost messed up. _Almost. _

"Thank you," he whispered so softly I probably wouldn't have heard it if I hadn't been looking at his lips. "You look so _fucking_ gorgeous. My _god_, Bella. You take my breath away."

"Edward," I stuttered and he smiled over at me shyly.

"If you can compliment my music then I can compliment your beauty. Do you want to sit with me a moment?"

"I don't think I should," I shook my head. "Besides, don't want to scare away the tips."

"Oh, yes, please. Please scare away the tips. They scare me," he smiled. "Just through the end of the song and then I'll leave you be."

"Just through this song," I agreed, sitting next to him. I bit my lip as the person came out onto the stage, beginning to sing. They weren't bad. I sang along very quietly.

Edward's lips twitched as he leaned over, breathing in my ear softly. "You will sing for me one day."

"I'm a horrible singer," I laughed. He just shook his head. I leaned into his side, singing along. "_Ain't got the least desire to set the world on fire, I just wish you'd make it proper and call my old my papa..."_

"You amaze me," he said quietly as the song came to an end. "You constantly surprise me." He leaned over and lightly kissed my bare shoulder. "Go have fun with Alice. I'll see you after the show."

I stumbled my way down the stage, a stupid little smile on my face as I came to sit beside Alice. She snorted, rolling her eyes. "You fight it and you fight it, but you're not going to win."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Ah huh. Lie to yourself. That's fine. I'm just going to go get another drink. Want one?" She said, standing up.

"No thanks. Not right now." I shook my head.

I sighed softly as I laid my head on the palm of my hand, watching Edward as he played another song. I didn't know this one, but it still had a nice beat.

"Hey there, sweetie. How are you doing?"

**So many things off the list this chapter. **

**Also, Edward in a in twenty's style tux.**

**Reviews are motivation! Sends lots, please!**

**Thanks for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Not interested**

"Um, hi," I replied to the massive man standing beside me. He was dressed in jeans and a white tee shirt, not really going with the theme. He looked more greaser than gangster.

"Can I buy you a drink?"

Of all places, I was getting hit on at a gay club by a man? Really? I could have handled a woman and not been surprised. But a man? It instantly made me annoyed.

"No, thanks," I replied, turning my attention back to Edward.

"Why not?" He asked. Who asks that? That was just rude. When someone said no, they meant _no_. They didn't have to give a reason.

"Because I'm not interested."

"Interested in me or the drink?" He asked in a teasing voice. I frowned, ignoring the question. "I'm Felix. You're Bella?"

"I'm waiting for my date to return," I somewhat lied to him. I was here with Alice, she just wasn't my date. He didn't need to know that.

"You're not a lesbian," he stated plainly. I turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

"And how exactly do you figure that?"

"You've been drooling over that pretty boy playing piano since he came in. I'm not stupid."

"If you're not gay, why are you at a gay club?" I asked instead of acknowledging his last sentence. I was not drooling. And he was stupid for bothering me when I obviously didn't want to be bothered.

"I like to keep all my options open. Play both sides of the field, as it were," he smirked at me and I felt a hand slid down my back. My skin prickled with annoyance. "And you're one option I'd like to explore."

"Well, I'm not an _option_ you'll explore anytime soon. So, if you'll excuse me, I'm waiting for someone to return and trying to enjoy the show."

"Look," Felix all but growled, grabbing my arm. "All I wanted to do is get to know you a little bit better in private."

"I think the lady said no," a familiar Italian voice said. I turned slightly to see Aro, the dance instructor from my gym, standing there with his hands on his flapper dressed covered hips. "Now release her."

Felix the fucker, the name I have dubbed him in my head, scoffed. "Yeah, whatever princess."

"Let her go or I'll be forced to use violence," he warned. If I wasn't so worried I would have laughed as well. Aro didn't exactly look that scary. Maybe crazy, but not scary.

"Fuck off."

Aro removed his hand from my arm, twisted it backward, and then punched him straight in the face. All within a matter of seconds. My jaw probably hit the floor the same time Felix did.

"I did warn you. _Security_!"

Two very large men came up, frowning at the man on the floor. "Yeah, boss?"

"This man was bothering this woman. Please make sure to escort him out. If he refuses to leave then call the police," Aro said, coming to my side as they dragged the now passed out man out of the club. "Are you okay, my dear?"

I just opened and closed my mouth several times before finally swallowing heavily. "Thank you."

"Of course. We can't have scum like that around here. Besides, we have to stick together now don't we?"

I nodded stupidly. Alice walked up just then, her eyes wide. She had switched from a beer to something in a cup. "Everything okay?"

"Just had a little trouble with another patron," Aro told Alice before turning to me. "Now, we have a self-defense class at the gym. I want you to sign up on Monday, yes? I'll help you make sure that something like that doesn't happen again."

"Thank you," I breathed again as he walked away.

"What the hell?" Alice asked. I shrugged and took her cup, taking a big drink. I had already finished my other drink and now I really needed another.

"I'm going to step outside and get a breath. I'll buy you another drink when I come back inside," I said, pushing my way through the crowds without an answer. I needed a moment to cool down. My entire body felt too warm, my stomach in knots. I kind of doubted that the liquor would help but I couldn't imagine it hurting much.

I walked away from the front of the building, going to the side. I leaned against the bricks and closing my eyes as I took another big drink.

"It's not safe for you to be outside alone," Edward said quietly, his hands in his pockets as he walked towards me.

"Apparently it's not safe to be inside either," I said sarcastically, finishing the drink and putting on the ground. "Shouldn't you go back in there?"

"I finished the first show. There is a two-hour break and then another show," he shrugged. "Are you okay?" Edward asked as he came to stand in front of me. "Everything just happened so fast. One minute you were fine and the next you're out here."

"I'm fine. He was just an idiot."

"You've got a bruise on your arm," Edward sighed, carefully reaching out and touching my skin. He was right. There was a thumbprint, deep and purple in my forearm above my elbow.

"I bruise easy," I reasoned. I cleared my throat, searching for another topic of discussion. "You look amazing tonight."

"You're one to talk. My god. Honestly, are you trying to kill me?" He smirked, leaning against the wall beside me. "You could have warned me."

"Warned you of what exactly?" I laughed, looking over at him curiously.

"Hm, let's see. That you've obviously lost weight. What? Three sizes?"

"Two," I rolled my eyes.

"It's a major change from your appearance at the concert. And the hair."

"Don't get used to the hair," I laughed again, pushing against the wall and facing him. "It's only for tonight."

"Oh... _Thank_ God..." He smirked again, "I mean, oh really? Why is that?"

I laughed, smacking his shoulder. He grabbed my arm, pulling me to him and giving me a hug. It was comfortable and warm, so soft. It was what I needed. I laid my head on his shoulder, closing my eyes and just taking a deep breath as his arms wrapped around my waist.

"Don't like the blond?"

"I told you, I prefer brunettes."

"I thought your favorite color was red. What if I dyed it red?" I asked him, looking up at him. I chuckled at his lost expression, his eyes foggy with thoughts. Such a guy thing to do. "I'm going back to brunette."

"So, I've always wondered. Do blondes have more fun?" Edward asked with a chuckle.

"Don't know. Only been one since this morning. So far, not so good," I rolled my eyes as I looked up at him. He was gazing down at me, his expression intense.

"Let me see if I can change that for you," he breathed just as his lips touched my own.

His lips tasted like milk and honey. So delicious and sweet. His fingers wound around the back of my neck as his other hand rested on my waist, pulling me closer to him. It felt like if he could have pulled me into himself he would have. His tongue slid leisurely over my top lip before nudging my mouth open. It curled around my own, taunting me with pleasure I could not have.

His hand slid down my waist to my knee, pulling it up around his waist as he twisted us around. He pressed me against the wall, his kissing more powerful by the moment. My arms slowly wrapped around his neck, enjoying his taste. It was so good.

But forbidden fruit always tastes the best.

I pulled away from his mouth, sliding my hands down his chest. "Don't do that."

"Why?" He breathed, leaning down to kiss my neck. It was so hard not to give in. I wanted to so bad.

"I told you. I need to work on myself before I'm ready to be in a serious relationship."

"I want to help you. Let me. Let me show you how beautiful you are."

I pushed away from and Edward flopped against the wall with a heavy heave. "I'm not ready."

"What are you afraid of?" He asked. "What's holding you back? Bella, you flirt with me. You tease me. You kiss me like that. Then you hold me at arm's length."

"I'm sorry," I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck as I turned. I couldn't face him. "I need to be happy with me. I need to give you more than a work in progress. You wouldn't understand."

I began to walk away. I wanted to find Alice and just go home to cry.

"I don't understand? Ha. Yeah, okay."

"No. You wouldn't." How could he? He was perfect.

"I've lost a hundred pounds and I've kept it off for three years. I think I would fucking understand better than most."

I turned to look at him slowly. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I know about working on myself. I know what it's like to not like yourself the way you are. But let me tell you something. Losing weight and playing with your hair isn't going to change that. You're going to have to look at a mirror and see the good things. Because Bella, there will always be bad things. There will be things you hate. Things you want to change. I don't know what trauma you went through or whatever, but I know I want to help you. You can't do something like that on your own."

I shook my head, "I don't understand. I mean, you're..."

"I'm what Bella? You know what I see when I look in the mirror?"

I shook my head slowly, biting my bottom lip. "No."

"I still see someone who struggles with themselves. I have to watch everything that goes into my mouth. When I came to America, I was just a normal kid. I had friends. And then I was thrown here where I'm nothing but a red-haired freak with a weird accent. I was totally isolated. All I had was my aunts. And all they wanted to do was feed me. My happiest memories as a teenager are centered around food. And they told me how talented I was. How I'd be a star. So I went to Los Angeles to try to get a career in music. I got one audition. One. And do you know what they said to me?"

I shook my head, unable to speak.

"They told me a fat ass would never get a job. And they were right. So, Emmett asked Rosalie to beg Jasper to let me have a job with him. I stayed in Los Angeles until I couldn't take it anymore. I was surrounded by all these pretty people and I wanted to die."

"Edward-"

"So, I lost weight. And I loved myself even less afterward. It wasn't until I started finding worth in the things around me that I started to care about who I was. I mean really care. And I could not do that alone."

"I'm sorry," I breathed out.

"Bella, I have been... _drawn_... to you since the first moment I saw you. You were just as drawn to me. You still are. You're fighting it. I'm a patient man. I really am. But, I can let go. Tell me if I need to let go."

"I don't know," I shook my head, feeling tears streaking down my cheeks. "I'm not worth this trouble."

"See! That's the problem, Bella. You totally fucking are. You are breathtaking in every single fucking way and you don't see it! I wouldn't be at your beck and call if you weren't."

He shoved himself off the wall, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Edward," I whimpered as he walked away from me, turning the corner. He stopped, straightening his back.

"Call me when you're willing to see yourself. And we can be friends or we can be lovers. I don't like being toyed with, even if it's by you."

And Edward walked away.

I sobbed, leaning against the wall. "Fuck, fucker, fuck! ARGH!"

"Bella," Alice said quietly, turning the corner to look at me. She was frowning. And I could tell by a single look that she heard that whole thing. "Are you okay?"

I shook my head, rubbing my face with my arm. "I'm fine. Just frustrated."

"Why don't we go home? I know you're hurting right now."

"Hurting?" I all but shouted at her. "Really? I'm not the one hurting. Okay. God, I'm a selfish bitch. A stupid fucking selfish bitch and you're worried about me."

She shrank back slightly. "Bella-"

"Let's just go home. I'm tired and I want to go to bed."

Alice nodded slightly as she followed behind me to her car. I got in without a word and we drove back to my home in silence. Once we pulled into a parking space, Alice looked at me as she touched my hand. "Bella, I know it's hard but Edward-"

"I need to be alone for a while," I said as I got out of the car before she could finish what she was saying. I didn't want to hear anything else.

When I got to my apartment, I checked my email. I knew it was stupid. All that was in there was spam mail forwarded from my dad.

I went to my bedroom, slamming the door like I child. I knew I was throwing a temper tantrum. I knew it was childish, but I didn't care as I sank down onto my bed. I just wanted to cry.

I wanted to cry for more than just me though. I wanted to cry for Edward. Cry for the fact that he was, and is still, in pain. The fact that he didn't see that he was wonderful. I had no doubt in my mind that he always was and that I would have been attracted to him no matter his weight. I cried because I knew how he felt.

I overslept the next day and missed my hair appointment. I made it for the following Tuesday, figuring I could live with being blonde for a couple of days.

I got my paper from outside, hoping that maybe there would be a flash drive or something waiting for me, but there was nothing. After making some breakfast, I grabbed the paper and flipped through the entertainment section. I noticed that there was a special double feature for Halloween playing at a local theater. It was a showing of Young Frankenstein and Men in Tights, both Mel Brooks movies. My dad loved them.

I sighed when I thought about my dad. It had almost been two months since I talked to him, let alone seen him.

Before I could think about it anymore, I dialed his number.

"Chief Swan," he answered gruffly.

"Hi, Daddy."

"Hey, baby girl! How are you doing?" He said brightly. It was nice that he always seemed to get happier when he talked to me. I just always felt like I got in my mother's way.

"Um, alright. Are you working tonight?"

"No, I get off at four. What's wrong? Are you okay? Are you in trouble?" He asked quickly. I snickered, my dad always going to worst possible thing first.

"Yeah, Chief Swan. I'm fine. I just saw this Mel Brooks double feature thing tonight and I really wanted to go. Would you like to go with me?"

"Seriously?"

He was actually shocked. That kind of hurt me for some reason. I swallowed the lump in my throat as I waited for his answer. "Yeah, Dad. Seriously."

"That would be great! What time does it start? Maybe we can get dinner beforehand."

"Seven. And I'd really like that."

"Alright, well I'll be by your place around 4:30! I'll see you then, baby girl," he said, hanging up. He was so excited that he didn't even ask me what movies were playing. That kind of made me happy. At least I knew he wanted to see me.

There were no emails in my box. No texts on my phone. Nothing. I felt incredibly lonely.

Even when my father was not in uniform, everyone could tell he was a Texas cop. From the Wrangler's, boots, button-down flannel covered belly, mirrored shades, and a white cowboy hat... he just screamed it. When I opened my front door, he smiled widely.

"Well, hell's bells, girl! Where did you go? You're wasting away."

I laughed, giving him a hug before shutting the door. "Yeah, right. Hardly."

"You look good. And the hair?"

"Oh, dad. Don't make fun the blonde. It was only for Halloween." I turned to look at my father's amused expression.

"Don't _you_ make fun of blonds?"

"Yes, in general. But, it was Halloween. I'm dying it back to a normal color next week," I said as we boarded the elevator. He let the subject drop until we were at dinner at a local wing place. My dad ate very few things.

"May I ask what brought on the sudden change?" He asked.

I sighed, swirling around my tea. "Dad, can I ask you a question?"

"Answering a question with a question. Very suspicious," he said teasingly before patting my hand. "Go ahead."

"How did you handle turning thirty?"

"Ah, I figured as much," he nodded his head before giving a heavy sigh. "Well, I was already divorced and had you, but you were with your mother so I was pretty much alone. Thirty is kind of a turning point in your life."

"What did you do?"

"I threw myself into my work." He smiled at me. "And it's gotten me far, in that respect."

"Do you wish...?" I trailed off, not knowing what to say. Apparently, he knew what I meant.

"Every day, but I'm still happy with what I got. I got a great daughter with her own successful business and I'm the chief of police in one of the largest cities in the world."

I smiled awkwardly and nodded. I was so grateful when our food came.

The movies were great, not that I was surprised or anything. I knew they would be. It was nice to see my father laughing so much. We even shared a popcorn during Men in Tights.

When we finally pulled up to my apartment, it was almost midnight.

"Tell me what else is on your mind," Charlie said out of the blue, looking over at me. "I can tell when people are hiding things. Girl, you are no exception."

I chewed over my bottom lip for a long minute before sighing, "There's this guy-"

"God, do I need to kill someone?" He asked seriously, his deep southern accent making me laugh. I shook my head.

"No. Actually, I'm pretty sure I'm the bad guy," I told him. He raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to explain. I looked down at my nails, picking at them. "There's this guy. And he's wonderful, Dad. I mean, he's really great. He's a friend of Jasper and Alice's. They're kind of family, almost. And..." I trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"And what?"

"I don't know what to do," I admitted. "I don't think I'm nearly good enough for him and I don't want to give him someone so... messed up. I just don't know if I'm ready for a relationship but I don't know if he'll wait until I am."

"Bella, you know I was really disappointed when you and Jake broke up," Charlie began.

"Dad!"

"Hush! Let me finish," he said, shaking his head. "Billy and I have been best friends since we were kids and if you married his son, well it would have been like I got a brother finally. But, when I went to the wedding and saw the way that Jacob looks at Vanessa, I was so grateful."

"Grateful?"

"Yeah, Grateful and relieved because Jacob never looked at you once the way he looks at Vanessa all the time. He was a blind idiot to not do so. You deserve a man that does. A man that loves you. Now, how does this boy look at you?"

Wow, the insight of an old cowboy. Who would have thought it?

"Wow, Dad. You've given me a lot to think about," I answered, giving him a grateful smile. "And I had a really good time tonight. We should do this more often."

"Agreed," he nodded. He put his hand on my shoulder as I went to open the door. "Bella, I want to tell you something important. Even if you don't know what you're going to do or how you're going to handle things remember who you are. You are a strong beautiful woman. You're my Birdie," he said, calling me the name he called me when I was a kid. "Don't forget that."

I leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, "thanks, Dad."

Oh yeah, I certainly had a lot to think about now.

**This Charlie is one of my favorites. **

**Who saw Edward's backstory coming? Did you see the foreshadowing?**

**Thanks for reading!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Apologies**

"Hi there," Alice said with a quiet little smile on Wednesday. It had been the longest I hadn't talked to her since before my birthday. It had also been the longest since I hadn't spoken to Edward since the concert.

I didn't like it. I didn't like one bit.

"Hey," I answered back, letting her into her apartment. "I'm sorry I freaked out on Halloween."

"It's okay. It happens." She shrugged, sitting down on my couch. I sat down as well, crossing my ankles. "Have you...?"

"I haven't spoken to Edward since then," I answered, looking down at my lap.

"I kind of figured. I want to let you know, I might tease you about him but I'm on your side. Always. I'm also on his side though. I don't want anyone to hurt. I love you both. And I want both of you to do what is best for you."

"Thank you," I whispered, taking a deep breath. "Yeah."

"So, what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to let him move on. He deserves that."

"What?" Alice said, her eyes large. "Really?"

"Yeah. I'm going to call him and tell him that I want to be his friend and only his friend. I'm not going to flirt with him and I'm not going to make it hard on him."

"Bella, I don't think that's a good idea. You might regret it later."

"But, Alice I don't want him to waste his time waiting for someone who's not ready to be what he needs. He's young and he needs to find someone young to be with. He... He wasted a lot of time when he was a teenager on self-pity. I don't want him to waste his adult life on mine."

"But, Edward... He..." She just shook her head. "Do me a favor, okay? Let it simmer for a while before you tell him? Give it time to cool."

"It won't make a difference," I warned her. She just shrugged.

"It may or may not. But, I think it's a good idea. If it changes nothing than it doesn't matter anyway, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so," I agreed with a shrug.

"So," Alice began, changing the subject. "Marked anything else off the list?"

"I saw a double feature with my Dad. That's about it. But, I have decided I would like to do another one this week," I informed her.

"Hm?" She said, leaning back against the couch, cocking her head to the side.

"I'm going to get a tattoo. Now that I've returned my color back to my hardcore boring brown, I need something to counteract that," I laughed at her surprised face. "What?"

"I never thought you would actually do that one!"

"Why?" I asked. Alice just shrugged. "I even know what I'm going to get and where."

"Oh! This I gotta know. So, what are you getting?"

I went to my desk and grabbed my laptop, coming back to sit down. It only took me a couple of seconds to bring up the picture. It was the symbol for my company that was on my website. It was an outline of a swan with a hidden B in it that no one noticed unless I pointed out. It was me. "That."

"Oh! Perfect! And that's so pretty. Where are you putting it?"

"Well, I want to be able to hide it so I'm going to put it on my right hip. No one will probably even accidentally see it unless I show it to them. I think it'll even be covered if I wear a two-piece."

"No if. When. Girl, you are almost there."

I shrugged, "yeah."

"I'm going to make you," Alice stated bluntly before smiling largely, leaning into me. "So when are you going to get this tattoo?"

"Tonight."

"Tonight and you weren't going to call me!?" She gasped, faking hurt. "Honestly, this is an important day in a girl's life. Her first tattoo is a special thing. Every girl remembers her first one."

I laughed, poking her side. "Oh, and what was your first one?"

"I have a cake tattooed onto my ass. It was a birthday present of sorts for Jasper."

"Are you serious?" I laughed again. "That is awesome. Were you _baked_ at the time?"

"No!" She slapped my arm and I snorted. "No. It was right before the first bakery opened. It's really cute. It's three layers with pink frosting and a big cherry on top. You should have seen Jasper's face the first time he saw it. He licked it."

"I did not need to know that," I shuddered. "I can't imagine how sore your ass must have been."

"It's still sore every now and again. Jasper usually aims for the cake when we-" I smacked her hard on the thigh, making her fall over with laughter. "He likes to see it jiggle." I smacked her again, laughing myself.

"You are so bad," I rolled my eyes.

When she finally stopped laughing Alice cleared her throat, sitting up. "So, really. You want to go get it tonight?"

"Yeah, I would."

"Do you want me to go?" She asked me seriously. I smiled and nodded, leaning over and hugging her tightly.

"Thank you for being my friend."

"Thank you for keeping me company while Jasper has other things to do," she giggled, squeezing me tightly. "Honestly, he's so busy right now. I don't know what I would do without you."

"I'm glad I entertain you," I answered back sarcastically.

"Me, too." She smiled a shit eating grin, her eyes were so bright and playful. "Want to eat first?"

"Um, no. I'm worried if I eat first I'll throw it up all over the tattoo artist. That would be so bad," I answered. "I should probably change into sweatpants before we go."

"As much as I hate them, I agree," Alice said. "We'll get the food to go afterward so no one sees you in your jammies."

I changed my clothes into sleep pants, flannel ones that made Alice gag, and a tee shirt and a pair of flip-flops. Pulling my hair up into a ponytail, I prepared myself for the pain. My hand trembled, the paper with the picture of my design shaking as it did. Alice was driving, not like she ever let me drive anyway.

I actually did a lot of research the night before to figure out where I wanted to go. There was a ton of tattoo shops in the Dallas area but a few stood out. I finally picked one, a newer shop with a great reputation and no complaints with the better business association.

The shop's parking lot was empty except for a single car. When we walked in a guy was playing a video game on a big screen television in the reception area.

"Hey, welcome to Scaredy tatts," he said, not even looking up. "What can I help you with?"

"Um, I'd like to get a tattoo," I answered. When he heard my voice he paused his game and looked at me. A big grin spread over his face, standing up quickly.

"Cool! Alright. Well, I'm Pauly," the man said. He was pretty good looking, short but muscular with dark skin and hair. He had beautiful tattoos up and down his arms and a piercing in his lips. He wasn't my normal type but he wasn't too bad looking either. "What would you like to get today?"

"I have a picture I was hoping you could do," I said, handing him the paper. He puckered out his bottom lip, playing with his lip ring. "Is it possible?"

"Oh, hell yeah. This is awesome. I can do that. Where would you like it?"

I pulled down my pants slightly, circling my hip with my finger to show him. "Right here. Is that okay?"

He laughed, "it's your tattoo, princess. Is this your first?"

"Yeah. How can you tell?"

"First timers ask. Regulars tell. That's okay, I'll be gentle." He winked at me playfully. "Okay, first I'm going to need to see your ID. Then have you fill out this sheet and pay while I'm getting all set up."

"How much?" I asked. I really had no idea.

"Um, this? About this size, two by two on your hip? I'd say fifty. Sound good?"

Since I figured it would be at least double that, hell yes. I nodded my head as I pulled out my ID and credit card. I handed it over to him and he smiled and chuckled. "What?"

"Nothing. This just explains the tattoo, Ms. Swan. Very nice. Alrighty. Let's get this thing going."

My handwriting was normally awful, but my hands were shaking so badly when I did my signature at the bottom of the permission slip that I barely recognized my own name. Alice came up behind me and rubbed my back.

"You know, you can _not_ do this. No one is forcing you."

"I know that. But, I want to. I'm just nervous. You know how I am with blood!"

"Alright, baby. I'm ready for you," the tattoo artist said. He held up his needle, showing me that everything was fresh out the package as I laid out on his chair for him. "Pulls those pants down for me. Just a bit past your ass."

Oh yes, I turned red. Alice giggled. "Hey, I laid bare ass naked on my stomach when I had mine done," she explained. "For like an hour and a half."

"Was it a guy?" Pauly asked her. Alice nodded. "Lucky bastard. _Anyway_," he cleared his throat, smiling at me warmly. He was actually really comforting. "Let me know if it gets too much or if you need a break. This should be really quick. I'm going to do the outline first, which will hurt more but then I'll fill in the lines with a smaller one. It'll be pretty quick. Are we good?"

"Yeah, I'm good." I nodded. He applied the outline to my hip. It looked like a temporary tattoo that you got from a gumball machine. I just thought they did it by looking. This made me feel a little bit better. When he got it into place he asked if it was in the right spot. I just nodded, feeling a lump grow in my throat.

"Okay. Why don't you hold her hand, cupcake?" Pauly said, dipping the big vibrating pen in the black ink cup that little like a thimble.

I was so nervous I just laughed. Alice giggled, taking my hand and rubbing the top of my head soothingly. "How did you know what I got done?" She asked playfully. He had the needle an inch from my skin when she said that. He pulled back and looked at her, shocked.

"Really?" Alice nodded. He chuckled, shaking his head as he got back into position. "Okay. Now, relax and breath. Take deep breaths through your nose."

"Son of a bitch-mother fucker-fuckity-OW," I shouted as it touched my skin. Pauly laughed, wiping away the extra ink before continuing. "Sorry."

"I've seen big old biker's cry. Go ahead and cuss, I don't mind," he said, bringing it back to my skin again. "Just don't take a swing at me. You have no idea how much that sucks."

"Who's dumb enough to take a swing at the man with the big needle in his hand?" Alice asked, perplexed. I would have asked it myself but I was too busy trying not to cry like a baby at the pain in my hip. I was such a wimp.

"You'd be surprised," he muttered, wiping again. "Alright, time for the filler. The hard part is over."

"Thank god," I whined, taking a deep breath and looking up at the ceiling. I didn't have to look to know that I was bleeding. I could smell the irony coppery metal salt scent. I could taste it on my tongue.

"So, what do you want to eat for dinner?" Alice asked as a way to distract me. I bit my lip, considering it for a moment. I needed something healthy but that would make me feel good.

"Sushi," I answered. "We'll get it to go. I have soy sauce and green tea at home."

"Yum," the tattoo artist said, swiping at my hip with a paper towel. "Try that place just up the street. The one with the big neon fish. They have the best sushi. We've got a card for them if you want to go ahead and order. You'll be done in a few minutes."

"Sounds good," I breathed out. Alice got my order and grabbed the card from the board in the reception area before going outside to call where it was quieter.

"So, what made you decide to get your first tattoo?" Pauly asked, his eyes focused on his work.

"Turning thirty," I laughed, "I made a list of all the things I wanted to do and this is one of them."

"That's awesome. What else is on your list?"

I instantly flushed, "a little bit of everything. I've gotten about twenty things done out of fifty. I've got a ways to go."

"So what does your man think of this or does he know yet?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't have one," I whispered, biting my bottom lip.

"Mm," he said, wiping away some more ink before sitting up. "Well, when you get one I'm sure he's going to love it. It's sexy," he winked at me. "If I were single I know I'd be asking for your number right now."

I laughed, rolling my eyes. "Yeah, okay."

"I'm serious," he said, putting the needle down. "But," he raised his hand up, showing me his silver ring. "Got married recently. Whoever gets to see that though will be a lucky one."

I flushed like an idiot. "Thanks."

"Welcome. Always good to give pretty ladies compliments. You're all done!" He said, offering me his hand to help me stand. I did so slowly, my hip aching. I bit my lip as I looked in the mirror, surprised at how much I liked it. It was still bleeding though. "Let me bandage it and I'll give you a sheet of instructions on how to take care of it."

Just as he was finishing and I was pulling my pants up, Alice came back in. "Everything is ordered and they said it should be ready in about fifteen minutes."

"Awesome," I answered before turning to the tattoo artist. "Thank you so much. It really is beautiful."

"Aw! You're done! I want to see," Alice said behind me. I rolled my eyes.

"When we get home, woman," I said, waving her off. Pauly laughed, shrugging his shoulders.

"I'm glad you like it. If you have any questions or anything feel free to call. And if you need another tattoo, I'm your man."

We picked up the food and came back to my apartment. It was a little odd to eat dinner at the kitchen table with Alice. We had always gone out or eaten at her place. "Bella, can I ask you about Edward?"

"What about him?" I said, dunking my shrimp tempura roll in soy sauce with a little bit of wasabi.

"Are you...?" She trailed off, frowning. "Why? I mean, I can tell you like him."

"Because he deserves better. He's gone through too much. And by the way, why the hell didn't you tell me about that? That he used to be larger?"

"Because he told me not to. Bella, he's... he's really _into_ you. He doesn't want some make-believe better girl. He wants you."

"Alice, I want him to move on. I want to be his friend, but he needs to have a girl that can be everything he needs," I explained.

"But, you-" I gave her a pointed look. "Alright. Fine. I just think he's the one for you. You're for each other. But, I won't push it."

"We both need to move on," I said, shaking my head. "In fact, I need your help."

"I don't like the sounds of that," Alice sighed, taking a bite of her crab salad. "What is it?"

"Set me up on a blind date."

"Excuse me?"

"I don't want it to lead to anything," I began to explain. "I just want to mark it off my list. It'll be a good point to start from. And I can't set myself up on a blind date."

"Bella," Alice frowned, "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why?"

"You know why," she stated. I frowned at her, taking a big drink of my green tea. "Is this what you want?"

"Yeah, it is."

"Fine. I'll try but I won't make any promises."

After Alice, I went to my computer to check my email. It had been a grand total of five hours and I was going through withdrawals. For once I didn't have any spam mail but I did have something from Edward. It wasn't titled.

"_I'm sorry. I don't want to push you and I don't want to come off as harsh but I stand by what I said. I don't want to be toyed with. _

_I want you. You and only you. You are beautiful. You always were. You always will be._

_I don't like not talking to you." _

I felt a tear slip down my cheek. I sniffled loudly, rubbing it away before I replied back.

"_I don't like not talking to you either. _

_I promise I won't toy with you anymore. _

_Thank you for caring about me." _

After I closed my computer I went to my kitchen and took an aspirin. I needed more than that, but I didn't want to drink. I rubbed some unscented lotion onto my right hip, my skin stinging. I went to bed with low riding panties and a tank top, and nothing else. It was going to be an uncomfortable night.

_Edward crawled into bed beside me, just wearing jeans. He rubbed his hand over my stomach, not speaking as he pushed the comforter down. _

"_Edward?"_

"_Why do you want to hurt yourself?" He asked, looking down at my hip. He pushed my tank top up, rolling me to my left side. "Why do you want to feel pain?"_

"_It doesn't hurt much," I answered, thinking about the tattoo. _

"_That's a lie," he stated bluntly. "And it's only going to get worse."_

"_It's fine," I said, shaking my head. I didn't understand what he was getting at. _

"_You're-"_

Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.

What the hell?

I snapped up out of bed, trying to find the source of the annoying sound. I wasn't sure if I was glad that it woke me up or not. I finally found my phone, still thinking about the dream I just had. My mother was calling. At midnight.

"Hello?" I grunted.

"Hey, baby girl!" She said happily. "Did I wake you?"

"It's twelve o'clock at night. Responsible adults are usually in bed at this time," I growled. If nothing was wrong then I was just annoyed that she woke me up.

"Oh, sorry. I forgot about the time difference."

"Time difference. Where the hell are you at?" I asked, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Washington! Phil took me to Seattle. Isn't that great?"

"Peachy, mom. What do you need?"

"Can't I call my baby girl and check up on her?"

"At midnight, no," I said sarcastically. "Why don't we chat in the morning? I'll send you an email."

"Your dad told me that you lost a lot of weight," she began, grabbing my attention. "Are you sick?"

"No!" I laughed.

"You can tell your mom the truth," she said in her _I'm trying to make you feel guilty voice_. It never worked on me. I don't know why she tried.

"I am. I've been eating healthy and exercising every day. You know, trying to live a better life. Some of us are not naturally skinny like you. Mom, I'm fine. I'm great."

"Then why are you so grumpy?" She asked.

"Because you woke me up," I rolled my eyes in the darkness. I fell back on my pillows, cuddling up with my comforter.

"Your dad said something about a boy as well. Would you like to talk about it?"

"There is nothing to talk about. That problem is all solved. Mom, we'll talk in the morning. I swear it. Now, can I go back to sleep?"

If I had thought about, I would have asked why she was talking to my dad. They barely spoke. Maybe twice a year, if that.

"I suppose," she sighed in annoyance. My relationship with my mother became more strained by the year. As I got older and became more mature than her, I tired of her petty high school _I'm the best_ attitude. "Goodnight, Bella."

"Night," I said, slapping my phone shut.

Of course, I couldn't sleep after that. My hip hurt and so did my head. I was a little sharp with my mother, I would admit that. I was still a little mad that she forgot about my birthday. I would apologize in the morning.

I went into the kitchen and got more medicine. Grabbing a bottle of water, I sat down at my computer. Honestly, my obsession with checking my mail was probably getting a little out of hand. But, I always seem to have emails to check.

Like Edward's reply to my email.

_What does that mean, Bella?_

I sighed, slamming my head down on the desk. I wish I knew the answer to that question.

**New tattoo, yay! **

**Thanks for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Come Hold Me-**

"I did it. I don't like it. But, I did it," Alice said as a way of greeting about a week later.

"Hello to you too," I said, trying to keep my pace up on the treadmill. "What did you do?"

"Set you up on a blind date," she frowned, getting onto the machine next to me. "Next Friday. It's even at a little French place. You can kill two birds with one stone," Alice said, "unless you want me to cancel."

"No. That's fine." I shrugged.

My relationship with Edward was strained. We spoke but it wasn't every day and it was short and to the point most of the time. I hoped that he would be okay soon. I didn't like this situation I had created for us.

I missed him.

"Fine," Alice huffed, clearly displeased. "I put it under my name. All you have to do is show up and say my name. They'll take you to the table. I'll give you the card with the name of the place after we work out."

"Sounds good." I smiled. "You'll have to help me shop. I have nothing to wear on a date. It's been ages since I went on one and all my clothes are getting too big for me."

"I'm not surprised," Alice said quietly. I raised an eyebrow in her direction and she sighed heavily. "I would just like to say, for the record, that I think you going on a blind date is a horrible idea."

"Noted and ignored."

"I figured as much. So, what do you want to wear?" She asked, changing the subject thankfully. I was so happy about that.

"I don't know. I need some shapewear I think. I want to wear a nice dress. Oh! And I should get some heels. I mean like killer stilettos or something."

"I like that idea," Alice giggled. "You should practice with them a little bit beforehand so you don't kill yourself."

"Good idea."

"Why don't we go shoe shopping after this? We'll find the perfect shoe and then find the picture-perfect dress," she suggested. I nodded my head in agreement. I hadn't shopped in a long time. It could be fun.

I was so wrong.

"THAT IS THE PERFECT PAIR!" Alice squealed in the middle of Dillard's at the top of her lungs. 'THOSE ARE SO HOT."

They were four-inch peep-toed red leather heels. I could barely walk in them. They were gaudy. And those weren't the biggest problem.

"Alice, I have never spent over fifty dollars for a pair of shoes. These are..." I gagged as I looked at the price on the box. "I'm not paying that much for two weapons of mass destruction."

"If you don't buy them, I will."

"Good! They'll look great on you."

"No, I mean for you. You must wear those heels. Sexy, stylish. They scream _look at my legs_."

"Because I totally want my shoes to talk to me," I answered sarcastically, looking down at my legs. I twisted one of my feet to the side, looking at the shoe. "Really, Alice? These?"

"Those are it. You should wear a black dress with them, too. Oh, that would be hot. And bright red lipstick. Hair up. He won't know what hit him," Alice said excitedly, clapping her hands.

I could tell there was no way I was going to walk out of the place without these shoes. Buying them and wearing them were two different things. As if she knew what I was thinking, Alice smirked. "It's your list, baby."

"Kiss my ass," I said, frowning. "Don't remind me."

"Come on! It's not that bad!" Alice said, throwing her arm over my shoulder playfully. "You'll look hot as hell."

For the next week, my blind date was all that was on my mind. And not really in a good way. I was nervous and not really looking forward to it. And I knew in my head that I would be comparing him the entire time to Edward.

_Edward_. Gah, his name made me feel a little sad. I missed him. We talked, awkwardly. And not every day or over the phone. And I never answered his question. I didn't know how to answer it. I could practically feel him hurting with each email. I hated myself which was all the more reason he needed to move on.

Work and workout. It was all I did. I hated that. I wanted more in my life. I barely even saw Alice. She was in New York at a gallery. We didn't get to go shopping until after the Thursday she came back. By then I was feeling a little antsy.

Or a lot. Whatever.

"So, we're going to the Galleria," Alice said when I climbed into her Porsche. "Don't object."

"Alice, I'm not going to spend two thousand on a dress," I complained. "I was thinking around two hundred."

"I don't care how much you spend. I'm buying this dress for you."

"No way. I don't want you to do that."

"Do you know what I was doing in New York?" Alice asked as she glanced over at me.

"Gallery?"

"No. I was meeting with buyers. I sold five paintings for just over fifty thousand a piece," she stopped at a red light, looking over at me. "Do you know what the painting series was called that I sold?"

"No," I answered even though I knew I wasn't supposed to.

"_The recreation of the Swan_. Paintings I made because of you. Now, let me buy you a dress to make myself feel less guilty for abusing your presence, okay?" She tumbled out, her voice getting a little high pitched at the end.

"Okay," I nodded, touching her hand. "But I'm buying lunch."

"Okay," she sniffled, holding her chin up higher.

"I can't wear anything in here," I complained as Alice dragged me into a shop that specialized in vintage clothing. I had never seen it in here before, but I didn't shop all that often.

"Oh, yeah you can!" Alice rolled her eyes. "You were wearing a twelve at Halloween. That was two weeks ago. How much have you lost since then?" I just shrugged and Alice scoffed. "This store matches your shoes."

"I didn't know that shoes could match stores," I answered sarcastically. I walked up to one of the racks and saw that the dresses only cost like eighty dollars. I could handle that. I hoped the rest of the store was like that.

"I'm in love," Alice sighed, looking through the racks. "So in love."

"Do I need to give you a minute alone with the store?" I asked in my best serious voice. Alice giggled, smiling as she started pulling out dresses.

"No. Because then I'd just buy everything in the place. That would be bad. But it's all so cute."

"Not everything," I replied, lifting the sleeve of an ugly peach colored dress. Alice wrinkled her nose slightly.

"Okay, so not everything. But I love a lot of these. You can not beat the classics." She flipped through a rack and a half before gasping loudly. She ruffled it around, looking at the tag of a dress I couldn't exactly see. "Okay, so forget I said black. Gray is so much better."

She pulled out the dress and it was gorgeous. Too small, but gorgeous. "I can't wear that."

"Humor me. Go into the fitting room and try it on. Do not look at the price or the size. And if you do, I'll beat you. And I'll know, so don't make me kick your ass," she said, shoving the dress into my arms before almost literally kicking my ass into the dressing room.

"This is pointless. I won't be able to wear it."

"Shut it and get naked," she shouted.

I pulled the dress up and it surprisingly fit over my hips. I couldn't zip up the back. "Alice, zipper assistance."

She came in quickly, zipping it up before squealing loudly. "Come on. Let's see it in the three-way mirror."

She dragged me out in front of the mirror and I looked at myself from all sides. It was beautiful. The dress was a slate deep gray, corseted top with a belt right below my massive breast and it went to just below my knees. My bra straps looked a little awkward, but I could get a strapless bra pretty easily. It was taffeta and beautiful. And I wanted it.

"Bella Swan, welcome to a size ten."

"What?" I turned to her. "This is a ten?"

"That, my dear, is a ten. And you are wearing it beautifully."

"Can I help you with anything?" The sale's girl asked. Alice said no, waving her off as I looked at my image in the mirror.

I was a size ten and I liked myself no more than when I was a size sixteen.

Edward was right.

"What do you think?" She said, smiling at me.

"I love it. Yeah, this is the one."

"Awesome!" Alice clapped. "And on the first try too. Go us! Now, let's shop for underthings. My treat too. Honestly, I never thought you'd find a twenty dollar dress so pretty. Yay for clearance," she rambled on as I stumbled back into the dressing room, not really listening to her.

I had a lot on my mind.

The place I drove to was a lot fancier than I expected for some reason. I don't know why. I shouldn't have been surprised. I had to drive with my heels off. It was just too hard to otherwise. I slipped them on before stepping outside of my car, fluffing up my dress.

Alice had helped me with my hair. I was shit at doing my own. She had curled it and styled it, talking a million miles an hour as she did. She seemed almost nervous for me. I did my makeup, making my lips bright red and my eyes dark. It was pretty.

I had totally forgotten about a purse. Thankfully Alice thought of everything. She was so handy sometimes.

"Whitlock," I said to the hostess, chewing on my lip nervously. I heard someone speak behind me.

"Wow!" A rather handsome blond man said, his bright blue eyes wide as he looked at me. "You're Bella?"

"Yes?" I said, looking at him curiously.

"I'm Mike. Alice set us up," he said, shaking my hand a little wildly. "Wow. When she said you were a work of art, she wasn't kidding. And I know art. I'm a buyer after all," he chuckled at his own joke. He was trying so hard. He was cute and seemed nice.

"Right this way," the hostess said, thankfully.

As we walked through the dining room I heard a piano playing in the background. Which was a little hard to do since Mike was constantly nervously talking. The sound automatically made me think about the club and Edward. And it made me so sad. I turned my head towards the noise, finding out exactly where the music was coming from.

When I did I almost tripped over my own shoes.

That _bitch_!

She wasn't nervous for me. She was nervous for herself when I found out. She set this whole thing up. I was going to kill her.

Edward. Edward was playing the piano. I began to feel my chest rise and fall dramatically, my cheeks hot. And as if he could sense that I was there, he turned his head in my direction. His eyes became instantly sad and he looked away, frowning.

"Are you okay?" Mike asked. I hadn't even noticed that we were standing at the table. He was already sitting down, his expression worried and curious.

"I'm so sorry. I can't do this. I'm sure you're a great guy and all, but I can't," I said, running towards the ladies room before I threw up. Which I was pretty sure I was going to do.

Edward, beautiful and wonderful Edward. God. What was I thinking? What was I doing? And he was right. Totally right.

It felt like there was a hole in my chest when I thought about him. I missed him.

_Ready or not_, my mind screamed at me. Ready or not you need a man like him.

But had I fucked it up too much already? I was almost positive I had. But, I had to try. I sat down in one of the stalls and began to pull things out of my purse, trying to think of what to do. Inside was a small pad and a pen.

Before I could doubt myself, I scribbled a note on the paper and held my head high as I walked out into the dining area. Mike was already gone, not that I was surprised. He was probably calling Alice and demanding to know what kind of crazy he set her up with.

I walked slowly and purposefully toward the piano. Just like in the gay club there was a tip cup on top.

"I'm sorry," I breathed to him as I put the note in the cup. He said nothing, his eyes remaining closed. His lips twitched but that was about it.

When I got to the parking lot it was hard not to miss his much beloved and slightly beat up Camaro. I resided myself to standing by this car all night long until he came out so I could talk to him. I didn't have to wait long. He was running, literally running, in his beautiful blue suit. His hair was wild and out of place.

"Bella," he breathed as he came to a stop about ten feet away from me.

"I'm sorry," I shook my head. "I didn't mean to interrupt your work. I'll wait. I don't mind. I'll stay out here all night."

"I told them I had a personal emergency," he shook his head, taking about two steps. I turned away from him, afraid if I looked at him I would lose the courage.

"You were right."

"About what?" He asked, still sounded a little breathless.

"Everything. Everything, Edward. I'm what I thought I wanted to be and I don't love myself anymore now than I did before. I've been doing these things... Trying to do these things..." I shook my head again, getting off course. "And, I don't know if I ever will love myself completely or if I'll ever feel worth it but I know that I need help. I need the people around me. I need you."

"Turn around and look at me, Bella," he said. Edward was closer now. An arm's length away. I turned, looking at him with wide and pleading eyes. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying if you want me-"

He cut me off, not even letting me bother to finish. It didn't matter though. I wrapped my arms around his neck and brought his word smothering kiss closer to me. My fingers went into his hair, pulling and tugging as his arms went around my waist. They were tight, lifting me in the air slightly.

"I want you," he said as he pulled away. "I want you in my life. Please tell me that's what you mean. Please tell me this is what you want."

"Yes," I nodded, breathing heavily.

"Please say it for me. Please, I need to hear it from your lips," he begged.

"I want you in my life. I want you with me."

Edward laughed happily, twirling me around before kissing me again. "What... What changed?"

"I was supposed to go on a blind date tonight. And, he seemed okay. I mean, he seemed nice enough, but I realized that he would never compare to you. In anyway. That no man would. Not by a long shot. And I realized what a fucking idiot I am for dragging this out. I am so sorry. I'm sorry I was paralyzed by my own fear and-"

He kept shutting me up with kisses. Edward could do that whenever he wanted to. I loved it. I adored it. I kissed him back, just as eager to taste him as I was that first kiss.

"Mm, Bella," he whimpered against my neck in that deep sexy English accent, making me tingle.

"We need to take this slow though," I said in a strained voice. "Like actually go on a date before we end up back in bed."

He laughed, nodding his head. "I can agree to that. God, a date. That sounds amazing. When can we do that?"

"When do you want to?"

"Right now."

"I'm free," I laughed. "And obviously I haven't eaten. What would you like to do?"

"Eat you up," he said in a growl against my neck, making me laugh even harder. "Ugh, you look so good. Honestly, what are you doing to me? This is worst than at the club."

"I'm sorry." I pouted, pushing him back slightly.

"You're apologizing for turning me on. Think about that." He rolled his eyes, taking both of my hands into his own. I giggled and blushed slightly at his words.

"What would you like to do, really? Maybe we could go back to my place and we can order a pizza?"

"Is that what you want to do?" He asked the top of my hand. I nodded my head, smiling at him. "Then that's what we'll do. Did you drive or did your date?"

"I drove myself," I said, wishing I hadn't. This would mean a twenty-minute trip back to my apartment away from Edward. I didn't like that. Certain things couldn't be helped though.

"Okay. Well, how about this? I go pick up a bottle of wine and pizza and you can head back to the apartment to-"

This time I cut him off with a kiss. "That's too long without you. No, come straight away. I have wine and we can have a pizza delivered."

Edward's smile was breathtaking and he was smiling because of me. That made it even better. "Okay," he said, running his fingers over my cheek. "I'll see you there."

I had never been more eager to get back to my apartment, ever. And apparently, Edward was just as eager because he was waiting in front of the door for me. I instantly went into his open arms, kissing him again. My lips had already been away from his for too long. When we pulled away, Edward took my hand and walked with me inside.

"So, what do you like on your pizza?" I asked.

"I'm easy, love," he said, shrugging his shoulders. I started laughing, smiling over at him.

"That's an easy statement to take the wrong way. Come on now. Tell me what you like on your pizza."

"When I order pizza I get one with mushrooms, onions, sun dried tomatoes, and basil."

"That sounds good," I agreed. "Why don't you order that and I'll get us some wine? What would you like? Red or white?"

"I like white, please," he said, smiling before kissing my cheek. I went into the kitchen and listened as he ordered a medium pizza for both of us. Popping the cork on the bottle of white wine I had in the fridge, I poured us both a glass.

"I have some salad as well if you'd like. I've been eating a salad before almost every meal because it helps me feel more full," I explained, biting my bottom lip as I handed him the glass.

"I do the same," he admitted. "I figured you wouldn't mind sharing a smaller pizza. We kind of seem to be on the same boat."

I nodded, taking a sip of my wine before going back into the kitchen. I rubbed the back of my ankle with the toe of my other foot, looking in the refrigerator to find the salad makings. I heard Edward groan loudly. "Take off your shoes."

"What? Why?" I asked, laughing. It's not like he had to tell me twice to do that. I was barely able to walk in them. I was just so unfocused right then that I didn't even think of them.

"I'm having trouble concentrating while you're wearing them. Those are..." he trailed off, humming before smiling at me crookedly. "Well, let's just say when you're ready to go fast, you'll be wearing those for me."

Well, fuck me sideways.

I kicked off my shoes, shrinking four inches. My feet ached a little bit and I cracked my toes to make them a little bit more comfortable. Without saying anything else I got my bowl of lettuce out, along with the tomatoes and cucumbers.

"I've got a couple of different kinds of dressing. I have French and Italian. Light ranch, too."

"Italian, please," he said, taking the things from my arms. Without having being told he pulled out the knife from the block and washed off the cucumber, then started slicing it on the cutting board that I always kept out.

"Why don't you get more comfortable?" I asked, tugging on the arm of his jacket. He smiled, shrugging out of it and handing it to me to hang up. When I came back in he had loosened his tie, moving on to cut the tomato while I got bowls and plates out.

When the doorbell rang I started to go get it, but Edward stopped me. "No, ma'am. I think not. You've provided the salad and the wine. I will provide the pizza."

"Okay," I agreed, taking everything to the table.

It was the most romantic dinner I had ever had.

After we ate, we plopped down on my couch. Edward's arm draped around me as I leaned into him, my head on his shoulder. "I am so tired," I whined, yawning softly. Sleep hadn't been my best friend in a while. Not since Halloween.

"Then why don't you go to bed?"

"Because I don't want you to go yet," I answered, turning to look at him. He brought his other hand up to my cheek, touching my chin lightly.

"I won't leave you."

"We should go slow," I said, my resolve really not _that_ strong.

"I'll be a perfect gentleman. I just want to hold you," he said, bringing up my chin to kiss him on the lips.

I got up, taking his hand and leading him into my bedroom. It was so different from the first time. Fully dressed, fully sober- even with the two glasses of wine, and completely happy.

"I'm going to run to the restroom," he said, kissing my cheek again. "Why don't you get comfy?"

I nibbled my bottom lip as I watched him go to the bathroom. I had other things on my mind besides getting changed. Going into the living room quickly I grabbed my purse and went back to sit on the bed. I pulled the list from my purse, taking out my pen.

I had to do something and I had to do it right away.

Scratching out _'go out on a blind date_,' I smiled to myself the entire time.

"What are you up to?" Edward asked, his thin black tie hanging loosely around his neck. I folded up the list quickly and tossed it onto my bedside table.

"Nothing important. Come here," I said, offering my hand to him. "Come hold me."

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	12. Chapter 12

**The List**

Edward took my hand as he crawled into bed beside me. I snuggled into his side, laying my head on his shoulder. He rested his other hand on my waist, kissing the top of my head before sighing.

"This is so nice."

"This is. You don't know how long it's been since I've felt this content," I told him, rubbing my foot against his calf.

"Tell me."

"What?" I asked in surprise.

"Tell me. Tell me everything about you. Tell me how you feel. For so long you've been so sheltered from me, hiding your feelings. The day we spent together I think was the only time I've seen you unguarded," Edward said, running his fingers over my jaw. "I want to know everything about you, love."

"I'm not the only one that has been guarded," I told him, tucking my head underneath his chin.

"I know. I'm sorry," he sighed. "I promise not to be from now on."

I tugged on his shirt, pulling it out of his pants so that he would be more comfortable. He chuckled, lifting up his ass slightly to get it completely out. Edward rolled onto his side, looking me straight in the eyes. "Tell me about your past."

So I told him, filling in the bits that I kept before. I told him about Jacob, I mean really told him. How I felt, how hurt I was. How sad it made me. How alone I was.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "But, it does truly seem like he didn't mean to hurt you."

"No. There was no malice. And even though it hurt, I was glad to let go. I wanted him to feel loved. He was my best friend."

"How did you meet?" He asked, changing the subject slightly.

"I've known Jake since I was a kid. His dad Billy and my dad are the best of buddies. They were both cops. Charlie always went to their place on holidays when I was growing up because well, it was just us. We were almost family."

"What does he do now?" He asked.

I shrugged, "work. Last year was the first year that..."

"That what?"

"That I was alone on Thanksgiving. I had a TV dinner and went to a movie," I laughed humorlessly at my own lameness. "I'll probably do the same thing this year."

"The hell you are," Edward said, shaking his head. "Next week, you're spending Thanksgiving with me and my family."

"I don't want to impose."

"If you don't come with me then I'll stay with you," he said, bringing my chin up to look up into my eyes. "You won't be imposing. I want you with me."

"Okay," I breathed, leaning forward and kissing him deeply on the lips just once. I ran my fingers through his hair, leaning my head on his chest. "What do you do for Thanksgiving anyway?"

"My mom's family throws a huge potluck. There are like a hundred of us, usually. Everyone brings a dish. Everyone, man, woman, child. It's kind of a requirement."

"Wow, that's a big family and an ass load of food."

"Well, my mom is one out of ten siblings. Two brothers and seven sisters. And they have kids and grandkids, and so on and so forth. It used to be bigger but some have moved away or go to other things now," he explained. "Everything with McCarty's is centered around food. Honestly, Thanksgiving is the only day I really give in and eat whatever I want to."

"I love Thanksgiving food," I sighed with that contented thought. "I'll make a dish to bring."

"You don't have to. I'll make enough for both of us."

"I want to," I shook my head. "What about Alice and Jasper?"

"Actually, we were planning a celebration of our own on Friday because I know that they'll go to Jasper's parents and Alice's parents for a while on Thursday. I know they'll want you to come as well. Alice has already expressed that."

"That sounds like fun. You won't be working that Friday?" I asked.

"I take Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday off around Thanksgiving because I usually work so much around Christmas. It's a mini vacation of sorts. What about you?"

"Honestly, right after Halloween is the busiest for me. I've got most of the things done for the Christmas season. Then after Christmas, it goes into spring which is a little slower. Thankfully."

"Busy girl."

"I am, but I know you understand how that is," I said, running my hand along his waist. "You know," I started slowly, "I can't imagine you other than anything besides thin. You'll have to show me pictures."

"Ugh, no," he groaned loudly.

"Oh, yes. I've thought about it and I've decided that I would have been attracted to you no matter your size. You are handsome. Your face, your eyes, your hair. Those things really haven't changed. And your voice," I shivered just thinking about it. "Those are the things that turn me on."

"Turn you on?" He smiled wickedly. "That is very good to know."

"You knew you turned me on already. Don't act all surprised," I teased him.

"Well," he said, running his hand down the side of my thigh before hitching my leg over his hip, "there are certain things I must admit I'm still working on. Hearing anyone say that I turn them on... Well, it still surprises me. It's hard to grasp."

"I know I'm not the only that has told you that," I said, scooting closer. There my leg was wrapped around him but we weren't actually in a sexual place. It was just comfortable.

"No. You're not. But you're one of the only ones I've believed."

That made me smile.

"Can I ask you something?"

"You may ask me anything," he said, rubbing the back of my neck gently.

"You said you were with four other women. I've told you about my past. Now tell me about yours."

Edward stilled for a moment, thinking about what he was going to say. "Well, my first girlfriend was in high school. She was really amazing, honestly. But much like your Jacob, she was more a friend than a lover. Her name was Angela," he smiled slightly, tilting his head to the side. "She got married last year to her soulmate Ben and I played at their wedding. It was really nice. It was a lot of fun too."

"That's so sweet," I smiled, glad that someone had treated him right. "What about the others?"

"Ah, there was this girl, Heidi, in college. And she was nuts. Truly nuts. We were together maybe seven months before I finally couldn't take anymore and ran. There was another girl in college as well, but it just didn't work out. We grew apart."

"Have you dated anyone since..." I trailed off, not knowing exactly how to phrase that question.

"Since I slimmed down? Yeah, one. And for a short while, I thought maybe that this girl was the one. Her name was Jane. But the more and more I saw of her... the real her, I felt like I was no more than a showpiece which is really odd to say. She was selfish and unkind and really put me off of women," he said before touching my cheek, "until you."

"What made me so special?" I asked.

"Besides being breathtakingly beautiful, sweet, kind, funny, and amazing?" He teased before shrugging. "Honestly, I don't know. That first kiss... You were so vulnerable. And I knew exactly how you felt. Everything about you is so raw and down to earth. I adore that. It's refreshing."

"It's refreshing until it gets on your nerves," I laughed and he shook his head, smiling at me wickedly. "I bet you'll hate me by the end of the week. You'll get sick of me."

"Never," he whispered, rolling me over onto my back and kissing me sweetly on the lips. Edward hovered over me, his deep green eyes bright and almost... _smiling_. "I want to keep you for forever."

"Why don't we start with dating first?" I asked teasingly, leaning up and kissing him firmly on the lips.

"Can't we start with other things?" He said against my neck before beginning to kiss it lightly. "I have ways of convincing you."

"I'm sure you do," I laughed, pushing him off of me and onto the bed. I quickly straddled his waist, my dress spreading all around us. "But I thought you said you were going to be a gentleman."

"Yes, I did. But you're not exactly being a prim and proper lady right now, are you?" He teased me, placing his hands on my hips. "Not that I mind."

"I'm sure you don't," I laughed again and stretched, yawning loudly as I brought my hands over my head. He hummed in pleasure as his eyes went to my chest. I brought my arms back quickly, crossing them over my breasts. "Pervert."

"I'm a male. It's a built-in genetic trait," he chuckled cheerfully, tickling my sides. I squealed and fell back. Edward soon tackled me to the bed, making me scream louder with laughter. "Are you going to behave now?" He asked through his own laughter.

"Never!" I growled, tickling him back. I was surprised to find that he was extremely ticklish. I pushed him onto his back and sprang on top of him but I stopped when I realized something. There was a faint glow spreading across the floor. "The sun is coming up."

"Yeah. We've been talking for hours," Edward said softly, pulling me down to him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep you awake. Do you work today?"

"Don't be sorry. I wanted to. And yes, I have two weddings and a special occasion, starting around one."

"I should let you get some sleep," I said crawling off of him. "Do you want me to set the alarm for eleven?"

"Eleven thirty. My apartment isn't far from here. I just have to get showered and dressed."

I set the alarm and crawled back into bed, this time pulling the covers over us. I fell asleep beside him, still in my size ten dress with my legs and arms tangled with his.

My dreams were a lot sweeter than they had been in a very long time.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, warm and soft as it gently nudged me awake. "Bella?"

"Hm?" I moaned, rolling over but not opening my eyes.

"What's this?"

"What's what?" I asked, stretching and slowly sitting up. My eyes grew wide as I took in the image of Edward sitting on the bed beside me while holding my list. "Oh!"

"I'm sorry. It was just on the floor and I was curious. You put it away so quickly last night. What exactly is it?"

"It's um... It's my list of things that I want to do before I'm thirty-one." I frowned as I flushed.

"Why didn't you tell me about it?" He asked curiously, folding it up and putting it back on the bedside stand. "I mean, that explains a lot of the changes and such."

"Because I didn't want you to think you were just something I checked off my list," I said, not looking at him.

"Why would I think that?" Edward asked, trying to snatch the list back up. I grabbed it quickly and shoved it down in between my breasts before he could get it. He laughed loudly, "do you think that's going to stop me?"

"I hope so!" I said, clutching my chest.

"Why would I think that, Bella? I know you better than that. Now, come on. Take the piece of paper out of your dress before I do."

I guess he was right and I knew he would do it. I slowly took the paper out and handed it back to him. "Because of one of the things marked off on the list. The third one down."

"I did that?" Edward asked happily. "Hell yeah! Go me!"

I smacked his shoulder, harder. He groaned, laughing hard. "Oh, wait... Wait... There's one about a tattoo. When did you get that? I didn't see that when we were together. I want to see!"

I snatched the list back up, holding my chin up high. "I thought we were taking things slow."

"So it's in a place I can't see unless we're nude? Well, that makes me want to see it more," he almost purred, leaning over and kissing me firmly on the lips. I laughed, pushing away from him. He smiled at me, flirting with his eyes. "It is cool that you're doing this," Edward said, nodding his head towards the paper.

"I couldn't do it without Alice's help," I told him truthfully.

"I want to help too," he said, leaning over me. "If you want me to."

"I'd love that," I said, stroking his cheek gently. I glanced over at the clock and noticed the time. "You have to go," I frowned slightly.

Edward frowned as well, leaning down to kiss me deeply on the lips once more. "I do. But, do you want to do something tonight? I should be free after nine."

"Come back over," I said quietly, tugging on his now redone tie. I had just noticed that he was freshly showered and clean, all he needed to do was shave to be ready for the day. He decided to stay with me longer rather than put on fresh clothes.

"Anything you want," he said, kissing my forehead. "Get some more sleep. I'll call you when I'm heading over this way."

"Okay," I nodded, settling back under the covers. He gave me one final kiss before leaving. I sank back under the covers, once again feeling content but not exactly whole.

"Bella?" I heard someone call quietly sometime later that afternoon. I was still in bed, still in my dress and sleepy as hell. I wasn't as young as I once was and staying up that late was a pain in the ass. But I knew exactly who the voice belonged to and I wasn't surprised.

I wasn't going to move out of bed either. She would find me.

"Bella?" I heard as the bedroom door open. "Sweetie, are you okay?"

"Mary Alice, that was a dirty trick you pulled," I said, not turning over to look at her.

"I know," she answered quietly. "But, I felt like I had to do something. What happened last night?"

I toyed with the idea of messing with her. I mean, really _really_ messing with her, but I decided to put her out of her misery. I could tell just by the sound of her voice that she felt guilty. She was my friend after all and I knew she really was looking out for my best interests. "Mike didn't call you?"

"He said you kind of spazzed and left suddenly," she shrugged.

"I went into the bathroom and freaked. I mean really did. Then I decided that I needed to do something."

"What's that?"

"I decided that I needed help in loving myself."

Alice squealed like a little girl. I didn't have to explain everything for her to know exactly what happened. What happened in the end anyway. "I knew it would work!"

"That was a dangerous game you played," I told her truthfully. "What if I didn't go to Edward? What if Edward rejected me?"

"I've learned, as an artist, you must take risks. But, this wasn't a risk. This was a guarantee," she said with her chin held high. I scoffed.

"You didn't know. You're just lucky right now that I'm so fucking happy. Otherwise, your ass would be kicked."

She laughed, laying down beside me. "You can kick my ass later if you want to. But you have to tell me what happened. In detail. Everything."

So I did. I smiled at all the little details. How he held me. How he smiled. How he made me feel. "Oh, and Alice, he was so... so _kind_. I don't think that I deserve that kind of-" I shook my head. "But, I don't think I want to let go now."

"Good. So don't!" She laughed. "When are you going to see him again?"

"Tonight. And on Thanksgiving apparently. And on Friday. By the way, are we having a get-together? Edward mentioned something."

"Oh! We are! I was just waiting to see what happened to ask you," Alice snickered. "You know... Just in case you killed me. But yeah, we're going to have a nice dinner. Want in?"

"Yup," I smiled, poking her side. "Want me to bring anything?"

"Anything but prune cake."

It was just a little after ten when Edward called. I was beginning to fear that he wouldn't come and had resided myself to putting on pajamas and eating everything I made for dinner. The dinner that was going to be for both of us. I had only gotten as far as the pajamas though.

He looked so tired when I opened the door. Edward was wearing a pair of slacks and an undershirt. I could only imagine he removed his suit jacket, shirt, and tie. I held my arms out to him and he instantly fell into them.

"You smell so good," he groaned, leaning his face into my neck.

"Long day?" I laughed, rubbing his back gently. He just nodded into my hair. "Then why don't we eat some dinner, drink some beer, and watch a mind-numbing movie?"

"I don't care," he spoke into my curls. "As long as you're in my arms the entire time."

"It'll be kind of hard to eat like that," I teased him.

"Don't care," he said again, his voice still muffled. "You're soft, warm, and you smell good," Edward repeated.

"Eat first, then I'll cuddle with you?" I said, pulling back to look at him.

"Okay..." he drew out. "If I must."

I wasn't the best cook. I would admit that. But, I was still trying to make a new dish a week. I decided to try out my newest dish on Edward. It was an Asian stir fry. He was polite enough not to spit it out in front of me. He was even sweet enough to lie and say it was good. It wasn't the best thing I had made so far. I would have to try to cook him something different later.

After we decided on wine because Edward made fun of my girly fruity beers. I just ignored him and told him that it was on my list.

"Let me see the list again," Edward asked as he settled on the couch. "Please? I really want to help you as much as I can."

Instead of arguing as my instincts told me to, I went to go get my list from the bedroom. "You've already helped me," I informed him. "With several things."

"They don't count if they're not on purpose," he laughed, smiling as I sat beside him. He brought my legs up onto his lap, rubbing my knee gently as he read over the paper again. "I want to help you with this one," he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

I didn't have to look at the list to know which one he was talking about. "Oh, do you know how to knit?"

"Ha ha," he drew out, blushing a little bit. "What exactly do you consider kinky, Bella? Didn't you ever do anything with Jacob?"

"He smacked my ass every once in a while and liked it when I called him daddy, but no. I really don't consider that kinky. I mean like... role play. Hardcore. I don't know," I laughed in embarrassment. "I'll know it when I see it."

His tongue flicked over the corner of his lip as he smiled, his eyes going over the printed out list. "That is _informative._ That could be dangerous. My mind tends to wander."

"And where does your mind wander to?" I asked in a teasing manner.

"A wild place fueled by my fantasies and a lot of porn. A whole lot of porn," Edward snickered, his cheeks flaming even though he was amused.

"So is that where you got all those good moves?" I asked him with a smile, teasing him further.

"Had to learn them somewhere," he replied without a second thought. Edward rolled his head to the side as he looked at me. "The internet is for porn after all. Might as well use that to my advantage."

"I am horrified, amused, and slightly freaked out," I laughed and he smacked the bottom of my foot gently, making me cackle even more. "So is that all you're going to help me with?"

"Mm," he hummed, tossing the list onto the coffee table. He pulled me down so that I was laying on the couch and moved between my legs. "I'd like to help with those fancy knickers as well."

My fingers went into his hair, pulling him down to my lips, "I figured as much."

We kissed leisurely for several more minutes before he pulled away. Edward's lips trailed down my neck softly. "I want to help you with everything. I want to help you reach every goal you set."

"Do you know what my goal is right now?" I asked him in a very soft and flirty voice, my fingers running along his ribs gently.

"What's that, love?" He shivered underneath my touch, his eyes rolling back into his head.

"To get you into bed."

I was off the couch and thrown over his shoulder in a matter of seconds. I squealed like a little girl, holding on for dear life.

"That sounds like a lovely plan."

"Put my fat ass down!" I shouted. "You're going to drop me!"

"Your ass is HARDLY fat. Actually, it's very nice. Perfect for me. I like them nice and round," he said, playfully nibbling on my butt through my shorts. I laughed loudly, smacking his ass as hard as I could. "Oh, baby," he said rather dryly, "just like that."

Then I sank claws in. Edward howled like Goofy in an old Disney cartoon. "Put me down, boy."

"Okay!" He laughed, rubbing his ass after he sat me down to the floor. "Sorry. It was too fun and I couldn't help it. Would you still like me to share a bed with you?"

Without answering I walked to my bedroom, swaying my hips as I did so. As I got to my bedroom I flipped my hair over my shoulder and looked at him with the best seductive smile I could manage. He actually looked a little dazed. I was proud of myself.

"Coming, Edward?"

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	13. Chapter 13

**Hot French Cooking**

We didn't get much farther than making out. Though Edward did strip to his boxers to sleep with me that night.

They had Nintendo references on them. I loved them. It made him embarrassed which made me like it even more. He had not been expecting me to see them that night.

But, what I didn't like was that Edward had to get up much earlier that morning to go to work. I was sitting in my bed, watching with a frown as he got dressed.

"I'm going to miss you today," I blurted out. Edward smiled, sitting on the bed beside me as he buttoned his shirt.

"I'll miss you too," he said softly, leaning over to kiss me. "And I'm afraid I'll be working pretty late tonight. But, how about this? I have a slow day tomorrow and I'm free tomorrow night completely. Why don't you come over to my place and I'll help you cross something off your list?"

"I know it'll be the third date and all, but I'm not that easy," I laughed, teasing him with a sweet smile. He smiled, poking me in the ribs.

"No, I'll spring that one on you when I'm ready. Trust me, it'll be at random to make it all the more fun. I'll just show up one night with the supplies and do things to you that make your toes curl."

"Okay. I _am_ that easy. Get back into bed," I groaned, grabbing his shirt and pulling him towards me for a deep kiss. My hands slid underneath his untucked shirt, feeling the smooth muscles of his stomach.

"Oh, god," he whimpered. "Don't tease me unless you mean it."

"I mean it," I breathed, kissing his ear. He shot out of bed and I giggled, a little too proud of myself.

"I meant dinner. I'll cook you dinner. French food," he said, stumbling over his words.

"You can cook?" I asked curiously.

"I cook everything I eat, almost. The past couple of days have been a refreshing change. But it's usually cheaper and far healthier. I'm more able to eat what I want when I make it myself too. Homemade junk food is far better than store bought. A little trick I learned. That, and I love to cook."

"I would love that," I told him truthfully, holding my hand out to him. Edward came towards me, taking my hand and bringing it to his lips. Lightly he kissed my knuckles before brushing them against his cheek.

"Tomorrow then, say six?"

"Perfect."

"Okay," he smiled, leaning down for one more kiss. "I'll send you my address tonight. I've got to get going. I need to go change and pick up my violin."

"You'll have to play for me," I said as he began to walk out.

"Nothing would give me more pleasure."

I had some major working out to catch up on. Now that I was a ten I was going to fight like hell to maintain that size. The next time I had sex with Edward I wouldn't be stoned so I would like to have my body to be in the best shape possible for him. When I was stoned, I didn't care.

"So, have we made it to home plate yet?" Alice grinned at me wickedly, jogging beside me. I rolled my eyes, smiling to myself. Sometimes it was like she knew what I was thinking.

"We've just made it to first base. I'm hoping he makes a run for second tomorrow night. And if he's a really good cook, it might get him to third," I laughed, just joking.

"He's getting third," Alice said matter of factly. "I've had Edward's cooking. It is kick ass. Honestly, Jasper can bake but Edward can _cook_."

I laughed again, shaking my head as I looked over at her. "You're bad," I told her. "But that's good to know."

"Seriously, though. How are things going right now?"

"It's... comfortable," I tried to describe to her my feelings. "I feel like I'm at home with Edward. I mean, I'm so comfortable and when he's not around it's just not... _right_. I'm going to have to sleep alone tonight and I'm not sure if I can."

"Aw," Alice smiled. "You know, if you two get married we'll sorta kinda be related."

"Sorta kinda," I smiled in return. "But that is a long ways off, my dear. Let's see how second base works out."

"You'll get to third," she said with a knowing smile and a nod of her head. Apparently, Alice was a sex psychic.

I did not sleep well at all. I sent Edward a text message that said as much in the morning.

"_My bed was lonely without you. It felt so cold."_

"_I wish I were there to keep you warm,"_ he replied back. "_Tonight perhaps?"_

"_Do you want me to stay with you?_ "I asked.

"_Pack a bag_," he answered. "_I've got to work, I'm sorry. I'll see you tonight." _

"Well, I don't understand why you can't have this done by then," Lauren poked her sharp nail on a piece of paper later that day. She wanted a full website overhaul in less than a week period. She was out of her damn mind.

"Because, ma'am," I said as politely as possible with as little venom as I could muster, "it's simply not possible to make this large of a change this quickly. This alone will take several weeks."

"That is not what I want," she said, her tiny dog yipping in her purse. She cooed at it, shoving something into its mouth. No wonder the thing didn't walk, it was too fat to.

"I'm sorry, but it's just not possible. I can do," I pointed to three things on the list, "this within a two week period and slowly over time add the rest in, but ma'am, I do have other customers. I will try to do as much as possible as quickly as possible."

"I want this done no later than three weeks."

Was she not listening? _Moron._

"Ma'am, as I said before I can make some of the changes but it will take time to do the others. Give me time."

"Ugh, fine! But I want to see some results in two weeks and if they are not PERFECT we will take our business elsewhere."

_You can shove it up your ass_, I thought but I kept my mouth shut. Only the idea of having dinner with Edward was keeping me from flipping my lid. "Yes, Ms. Crowley. I'm sorry once again. Have a good day," I said, standing up. It was abrupt and it was rude but if I stayed, I wouldn't have chewed her out...

I would have killed her.

Slowly.

Painfully.

And with great pleasure.

After I got home I did a little work before packing a small bag and getting ready. I still wore my business skirt and red sweater, too lazy to change out of it as I headed over to Edward's apartment.

It was a tiny place, obviously built in the seventies. It was in need of some repair but it was in a decent neighborhood. I parked next to his _baby,_ carrying the small bag in my hand. It had been ages since I stayed over at someone else's place. I was really nervous actually.

Edward greeted me with a soft kiss, taking my bag from me and sitting it on a rocking chair that he had in his living room. It was a small place, full of light. His furniture was older and mixed and matched, but it fit him. His coffee table was a large old fashioned travel trunk and he had random posters on the wall of art. Like Monet and Van Gogh. It was so Edward and I loved it.

"Come on in. Dinner is almost ready," he said with a smile.

He took me by the hand and led me into his dining room. It was a small room right beside the tiny kitchen. It was barely a galley. I wasn't sure how he could do any work in there.

Edward pulled a chair out for me, the table set beautifully. Elegantly. Amazingly so for a single man's apartment. But I wasn't going to argue. If Edward was going to pull out all the stops, then so be it.

"You're timing is perfect," he said almost formally. "What may I bring you to drink?"

"This is your evening. I will try whatever you bring me. You obviously have this well planned... I just want to go for the ride."

This made Edward smile widely, bringing his fingers underneath my chin before pressing a firm kiss on my lips. "Well, I hope it's worth it."

"I think it will be," I gave him a tiny wink, leaning my cheek on the palm of my hand. He flustered slightly, his back straightening a little bit. It was like he was having to convince himself of something. He cleared his throat and turned to go into the kitchen.

"Our first course will be a small bowl of Lobster bisque," he explained as he put a bowl in front of the small china bowl was a beautiful reddish orange soup. Delicious chunks of lobsters were floating in the cream broth and I felt my stomach tighten with hunger.

"First?" I asked quietly. "Edward, lobster is expensive. You didn't have to spend that much on me. I would have been happy with anything."

Edward smiled, reaching over to take my hand in his own, "Bella, I don't know about you but half the time I'm working and the other half I'm sleeping. I barely get to spend the money I make, besides on bills. This is something fun. Something special. Besides, the other night you were going to a four-star French restaurant that I wouldn't even want to spend the money on. I want to give you the same experience for a quarter of the price. If I took you to that place it would have been far more expensive."

"If you took me there, I would have argued as well," I told him truthfully. "It does look great though."

"Then eat, please. Tell me what you think."

I gave him a small smile before doing just that. "Oh, my god," I whimpered after I swallowed. "This is so good. You made this?"

"From scratch," he smiled proudly, taking a big bite himself. He hummed in pleasure. "I usually make it with crab, but this turned out very well. I've even done a crayfish bisque."

"That sounds yummy," I hummed after taking another bite.

If I hadn't been eating it up so fast I probably wouldn't have gotten a quarter way through the soup before Edward brought out another dish. This time he put it between us, placing a tiny plate in front of me. Apparently, Edward had some sort of time table he was working from.

"Hors d'oeuvre of cheese puffs which have an extremely fancy name I can not say," he chuckled a little bit, looking at me with a winning smile, "served with a very delicious salmon mousse."

He tore one of the puffs in half and spread some of the pink mousse onto it. I leaned forward, taking a delicate bite. His eyes were on my lips the entire time, making me feel so warm. I hummed in pleasure again, licking my lips as I pulled away. "This is so good."

"Yes, it is," he breathed. Clearing his throat quickly, he popped the other half into his mouth. Edward chewed slowly, his cheeks warm with a light pink color. "Would you like more?"

"Yes," I said, running my foot along his calf underneath the table. "I would love more."

I thought Edward was going to crawl over the table and take me right there. I didn't have much objection to that but he was trying so hard to be a gentleman. I loved it. And it made this so much more fun. Honestly, if he wanted to be with me I would have let him. All he had to do was ask.

I sort of wanted to find his limit. I knew it wouldn't take long to reach mine.

After sharing another two small cheese puffs something went off in the kitchen. Edward stood quickly, taking the dirty plates from the table. I took a sip of my water, rolling my tongue over the top of my lip.

Edward was standing in the doorway, watching me with a hot expression. I smiled at him innocently, tossing my hair over my shoulder as I looked at him. "May I help with anything? I feel silly just sitting here."

"No, stay. Let me serve you," he said in a soft voice. Once again his cheeks got hot and I could only imagine what he was thinking about at that moment. I would have to ask him later.

"What's next?"

This propelled him forward, placing a full plate in front of me. "This is roast beef in a butter sauce, braised pearl onions, sliced green beans with baked mushrooms. And to drink I have a nice red wine."

"Oh, Edward! Gosh, you went to so much effort. I mean, you didn't have to do this. It's amazing," I told him sincerely, pushing away my teasing for a little while. Now I just wanted to kiss him for doing so much.

"Thank you. I just want you to know how much... how much you just being here means to me."

I got up from my seat and moved over to him. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I pulled myself to his mouth and kissed it firmly. "Do you know how much that means to me?"

His hands slid down my waist, kissing me hotly. I could feel the warmth spread from my mouth all the way to my chest. I felt tight and heavy with emotion and I wanted him.

"Bella, let's eat. I still have two more courses after this," Edward whispered as he pulled away. "Sit down and let me serve you."

And that's what I let him do. He served me the amazing and perfect meal, us talking and munching almost an hour after that. He said that it was the French way. That was the real meaning of the meal, to enjoy the company of those you care about and to just live. Finally, when we were finished he brought out the next course, a cheese plate with nice bread and jams along with it. I felt so spoiled and told him as much.

"Get used to it, darling," he told me, offering me a bit of a cheese I had never had before. But it was good. Creamy and slightly salty. "I plan on doing it as much as possible."

"Can I spoil you as well?"

"Your very presence is spoiling me. Having you in my life is a treat in itself."

"I want to do more than that," I told him firmly.

"You will. I'm just telling you how I feel," he said before standing up. When he came out of the kitchen he had a small cup of chocolate mousse with homemade whipped cream on top, a layer of fresh berries underneath. "With this, I have a glass of nice champagne," Edward told me, bringing me a small flute. I was beginning to feel a little light headed at that point from all the liquor I had enjoyed.

I wanted to lick the cup clean, but I restrained myself. It was hard, but I did. When we were both done, Edward poured us a fresh glass of the golden liquid before leading me out into his living room.

"I wish I lived in a better place. Yours is so much better than mine," Edward confessed as he sat on his sofa.

"Well, mine is my workplace as well. If I had an office my house would have looked like this too," I admitted. "When I worked at an office I was hardly ever home. I get the best of both worlds there. And I get more work done in a shorter amount of time. Fewer distractions."

"I'm constantly running," Edward said after taking a sip of his drink. "But it's not like I could work from home."

"I'd love to see you play," I told him quietly, repeating the words from earlier.

"You already have."

"Only the piano. I want to see you play the guitar. Or, the violin," I admitted, feeling my cheeks and neck burn with heat for some reason. The idea of him playing admittedly turned me on.

Edward sat his glass down and walked over to a closet. He pulled out a case and laid it flat on the coffee table. Careful not to knock over his drink, he pulled his violin out without a word.

And then he began to play.

It was beautiful, the moaning of the strings as he lulled me into a world I had never been. I could see the passion in his tight facial expression, his eyes closed as the bow rocked across the strings. His long and lovely fingers danced across them, making the music come to life right before my eyes.

That tight feeling from earlier returned as I stood and walked to him. He hardly noticed though, so intense in his work. I touched my hand to his shoulder and his eyes popped open and gazed at me, almost as if he forgot I was there. I maneuvered it so that the violin was away from his face, touching his chin where it rested before. It was warm and my fingers tingled as they danced over the faint stubble of his evening shadow.

"Edward," I said as I slid closer to him. He held the bow in one hand, the violin in the other, as he pulled me closer to him. I lifted up on my tiptoes, my lips by his ear. "What are your thoughts on baseball?"

"What?" He murmured.

"How do you feel about going to third base on the third date?"

He swallowed heavily, his voice thick, "just so we're clear. What do you consider third base?"

"Everything but you sliding into home," I nipped at his chin.

In a whirlwind move, his violin and bow were put away quickly with the case shut and I was being taken by the hand to his bedroom. I felt like a high schooler, I was so giddy by the idea. I could have done a little skip.

He twirled me around in his arms so that my back was facing the bed and held me close to his body. Edward's lips were warm and instantly lighting a fire in me.

"I want you," he whimpered as his hands grazed down my back. "I want to do everything to you. I want to feel every inch of your skin."

Instead of replying, I pulled my sweater over my head and tossed it to the ground. I sat back on his bed, scooting so that I was laying in the middle. My boot covered foot grazed the inside of his thigh, my head tilted to the side as I watched his muscles jump in fascination.

"I've been thinking about you all day," I admitted. "All day yesterday as well. I can't get you out of my head."

"I know how you feel," he breathed, pulling his shirt over his head and throwing it to the floor. Edward crawled on top of me, pressing his body against mine gently. His skin was warm and soft and it made me feel tingly in special places. "Tell me if I'm moving too fast."

I nodded, leaning up to kiss just under his jaw. My tongue flicked over, rolling over his skin gently. Edward moaned, his head tilted back slightly. "This might be easier if I take off my boots," I told him with a quiet laugh. "And you take off your shoes as well."

"Damn clothes," he muttered, making me laugh as he slid off of me. He kicked his shoes off quickly, tossing them to the side. I sat up to remove my own footwear, but Edward dropped onto the floor and onto his knees. "Let me do that."

The sight of him working so intently between my legs was making me hotter. He tugged one boot off and then the other but when they were gone he remained. I scooted up slowly, wrapping my arms around his neck as I leaned down to kiss him. He smiled slightly, his hands resting on my thighs.

"It's been a while since I've done anything like this," I admitted. "Sober, anyway."

It was Edward's turn to laugh, his forehead resting against mine as he innocently looked up at me. "Then why don't you let me take the reigns? I know exactly what I want to do right now."

With a gentle hand and not waiting for an answer, he laid me back on the bed and pulled me by my knees closer to the edge. Pushing my skirt up past my ass, Edward spread my legs wide. "I can't wait to taste you again."

I moaned and he hadn't even touched me yet. He kissed either side of my thighs once before moving his fingers to my hips, tugging my plain white panties down. I felt so exposed and I had to fight the urge to close my legs quickly.

And he just looked at me. I began to feel paranoid as I watched him, worried that there was something wrong with me. But then he licked his lips like I was an ice cream cone and he was about to eat _me_.

I guess he was.

And oh boy, did he.

"Fuck!" I yelped, my head was thrown back and my hips arching up to meet his eager mouth. "Oh, fuck. Fuck... oh, god... FUCK..."

Clean up the language. Ha, not going to happen while he was doing that to me.

His tongue was warm and smooth as it explored my lips, his fingers probing and perfect. Edward was playing me like I was one of his prized instruments.

I'll admit it, I grabbed his hair. I held him in place with my fingers twisted in his wild red locks as my hips swiveled in time with the flicks of his tongue. I hoped he had a snorkel down there because he didn't seem to be coming up for air.

"Holy mother fucking DAMN!" I shouted. My orgasm was coming quicker and more intensely than when I was high. In the back of my mind, I was slightly worried that it wasn't going to be as good but I was an idiot. It was perfect. This was far better. "OH! SHIT, EDWARD!"

"Jesus, you have a dirty little mouth," Edward said with a grin against my skin, kissing his way up my stomach.

I was in no mood to be teased. I wanted him. I needed him in my mouth. I needed to reward him for the amazing act he just performed.

I pushed him onto his back and literally pounced on top of him. He hissed as I nipped at one of his nipples, licking and kissing fervently down his bare chest. My fingers could not make quick enough work of his blue jeans, yanking them down forcefully. I just got them past his ass before I gave up and wrapped my fingers around his hardened length.

I had never been so desperate before to have a man in my mouth before. It certainly wasn't my favorite past time. But, I felt like needed it. I needed him. I felt my nipples become harder as his head slid past my lips, getting impossibly wetter as well.

"Oh, Bella," he moaned, his hand resting on the back of my neck. "Oh, god. That's it."

He lifted his hips in time with each bob of my head, me forcing it in as deep as it could go. I couldn't deep throat but I was certainly going to try.

But as much as I wanted to get him off, I was aching again as well. With one hand around his thick cock, I slip another between my legs as I rested on my knees as I continued to suck on him.

"Ugh... Are you touching yourself?" He asked almost wildly. I didn't stop to answer him, just continued to play with myself.

Alright, _maybe_ I wasn't completely sober. I had a lot of wine. But it was amazing.

Edward sat up slightly, resting back on one elbow as he brought his hand behind me. He began to play with my ass, rubbing it firmly. I moaned around him, my ass bucking back to meet his hand.

And fuck me if he didn't slip his fingers inside of me from behind.

I screamed around his cock. Literally screamed as my eyes watered, sucking and bobbing my head as quickly and as deeply as possible. He worked me in time with my movements, his moaning and whimpering becoming louder and louder.

"Shit, Bella," he ground out through clenched teeth. "Kiss me. Fuck, I need you to kiss me."

I moved up, my hands still in place as I began to kiss him. He pulled away for only a moment to whisper that he wanted me to keep playing with myself.

He brought his other hand up to play with himself, using my hand to move up and down his firm shaft. I lost it the moment I felt him brush against my breasts, my awkward position just right for the tip of his cock to tease my nipples.

I pulled away from his mouth, a silent scream falling from my lips as my eyes scrunched up tightly. His hot come spread all over my breasts, making the sensation even more intense.

It was the most erotic thing I have ever done in my life.

"I'm sorry," he breathed quietly, "I didn't want to make a mess on your chest but when I felt you tighten around my fingers I couldn't take anymore."

"Don't apologize," I whispered, my cheeks flared. "I loved it."

I actually wanted to lean down and clean him with my tongue but Edward got up quickly to fetch a towel for me. I pouted, laying back on his bed the proper way. With gentle hands he cleaned me, lovingly kissing and whispering sweet words to me.

I yawned softly, closing my eyes and stretching. "Do you want to head to bed?" Edward asked, laying down beside me. He had removed his jeans but recovered his boxers.

"I slept awful," I said with a frown. "I am tired."

"Let me get your bag-" I shook my head, quickly pulling off my skirt and throwing it to the side.

"Do you mind if I sleep like this?" I said with more confidence than I actually felt. Edward nodded his head, biting his bottom lip as he pulled the covers back so I could crawl under. He slipped in behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Is this okay?" I asked.

"This is perfect."

**Sounds like my kind of third date. **

**Reviews are motivation! Send loads, please :)**

**Thanks for reading!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Fungus with Trees and worms in dirt sauce**

I woke up slightly before Edward, yawning and stretching my arms as I popped my neck. He was beginning to rustle, the soft sounds of his snoring slowing slightly. When I moved my hand over his bare stomach, he woke up completely.

"Ello," he said in his smooth English accent. It made me shiver, making him pull me in closer to his firm body. I laid my head on his chest, my legs tangled with his.

"Hi," I breathed, playing with the little bit of chest hair that he had. It wasn't much really, a few strands here and there. They were a blond color and I could barely see them in this dim light.

"Thank you for staying with me," he said almost out of nowhere, kissing the top of my head lightly.

"Thank you for making a wonderful meal for me," I said softly before running my finger around his belly button. "And making a meal out of me."

He chuckled at my stupid joke, rolling over on his side. "It was my pleasure, my love. Truly. You're extremely talented."

"A girl has got to learn a trick or two." I smiled at him before winking. He smiled at me widely, leaning forward and lightly kissing my lips. Morning breath be damned.

"If I tell you something, will you not think less of me?"

"Of course," I said after a moment. I did consider for just a moment messing with him, but I decided I didn't want to ruin this pleasant morning. "Tell me anything."

"I much prefer sleeping in the nude with you," he said, his hands tracing over my side to my hips. "The feel of your warm body next to mine, your soft skin-" he stopped when he got to my right hip, his eyebrows coming together. "What's that?"

"Why don't you look and see?" I said with a raised eyebrow. He lifted the covers and looked down at my hip.

"Oh! I didn't see it last night! Very nice, Isabella," he smiled up at me. "It's very elegant. I was curious to what you got."

"You really like it?" I asked. Instead of answering me he pushed the blanket downwards and began to kiss my hip, tracing the outline of the tattoo with his tongue. "Oh, god."

"You like it?" He said, returning the question to me. I flushed under his intense gaze, my chest growing tight because of the sudden arousal mixed with the cold. Instead of answering him I placed my hand on the back of his head, rubbing my fingers over his neck.

And I swear to god, he purred.

"I feel like a giant kitty when you do that," he mumbled against my skin, his eyes gazing up towards me with a slight smile.

"Does it feel good?"

"Very much so," he breathed, now tracing the tattoo with the tip of his nose. "You know, I've always liked tattoos but I never thought that I'd find them so... _arousing_. It's very erotic for some reason."

"Edward, we should behave," I told him weakly. I had a lot to do that day since I was going to be taking Wednesday, Thursday, and most of Friday off. I would have to work a lot over the weekend if I didn't get some things done.

"I know we should, but it's so hard when you're so delicious. All I want to do is press my face between your tits and stay there all day." He smiled at me charmingly and I rolled my eyes.

"If you motorboat, you die," I warned him.

Edward laughed loudly, coming up to kiss me softly on the lips. His nose dragged against mine in a warm gesture, his thumb still tracing the outline of my tattoo. He was beginning to make me shiver.

"Are you cold?" He asked gently.

I shook my head, pushing myself closer to him. "I should get dress so I can get moving."

"I know," he whispered, speaking against my neck. "I'd rather stay here all day and just be."

"Me too," I agreed.

We didn't move from our cuddled position for about ten minutes. Finally, my human needs came into play and I had to move. Edward stayed in bed as I crawled out and I felt a blush spread over my cheeks when I walked passed him. I didn't have to look at him to know what he was looking at.

"When you blush, all of you changes color," he commented. I turned to look at him and he was biting his lip, his eyes dragging over my body. The flush became more intense. "Exactly like that. My God. Go to the bathroom before I do something I most certainly wouldn't regret."

I trotted to the bathroom a little too happy about his suddenly intense mood. He was that way because of me. Talk about an ego boost.

Sadly when I returned he was dressed. I dressed as well, pulling on the sweats and sweater that I never put on the night before for bed. Edward made us some coffee and a healthy breakfast of omelets and fruit. It was really nice.

I hated that I had to leave him. I didn't want to in the least. But I had things to do and he had to do a wedding in the afternoon. He walked me to the car and gave me a long kiss on the lips, his hand resting on my cheek sweetly the entire time.

"I'll call you tonight," I whispered against his mouth, our foreheads touching. He nodded, his eyes closed.

"I'll miss you."

I touched his cheek, pressing a kiss to his nose lightly. "I'll miss you, too."

Driving away from him right then was probably one of the hardest things I have ever done. I hated it. Hated. It.

Tuesday went by so slow without him. When I finally called him that night I almost jumped for joy when he answered. It was such a little kid thing to do but I didn't care.

"Hello, my sweet angel," he breathed quietly, softly, like he was speaking in the dark and didn't want to bother anyone. "I've missed you."

"I missed you, too," I answered without a second thought, smiling to myself as I did. "How was your day?"

"Easy, but lonely," he replied. "I'm looking to forward to having a few days off. I really need it."

"What are you up to tomorrow?" I asked him, nibbling my bottom lip nervously as I waited for his answer.

"I hope to be seducing a beautiful brunette into letting me go for third base again... and again..."

I laughed, smiling to myself. "Lucky girl."

"I'm the lucky one. I want to bury myself between your legs and stay there."

"Edward," I whimpered his name and he chuckled quietly.

"Would you like to do something tomorrow night or maybe go for lunch?"

"I want to get at least part of a day's work done tomorrow. How about an early dinner and a movie?"

"That sounds lovely," he agreed. "We'll talk about how we'll work out Thursday tomorrow. I should prepare you."

"Prepare me?" I snorted. "What? Are we going into battle?"

"It's a family get together. Of course it's a battle. A bloody one with lots of little people with guns."

"Are they water guns or Nerf ones? If they're water I'll bring a raincoat," I told him dryly, loving the way he laughed.

"Nerf guns actually. We've had epic Nerf battles in the backyard at holidays for years. So much more fun than American football," Edward admitted.

"You're still a child, aren't you?" I teasingly asked.

He cleared his throat and tried to sound more grown-up than he really was when he answered me. "What's more civilized than settling family disputes with tiny orange sticky darts?"

I burst into laughter, wishing he was there so I could pop him on the top of the head like a naughty, albeit cute, puppy and then kiss him. "You are an interesting man, you know that?"

"And you are a very beautiful woman," he answered without missing a single beat. "What time tomorrow?"

"Four sound good?"

"Perfect," he agreed quietly. I could practically see the smile in his voice, "I'll see you tomorrow, Bella."

My bed was far more lonely, especially after that phone conversation. How was I supposed to sleep after he was all cute and flirty and so damn charming?

Damn the man for being so damn... _Edward_.

I tossed and I turned before finally lifting up out of my bed around two and commenced to beating the living shit out of one of my pillows for not being comfortable enough. It was all the damn things fault and it deserved the abuse.

I knew Alice was going to laugh her ass off in the morning when she heard about it. Especially when I told her that I took it a little bit too far and the pillow was just a pile of feathers on my floor. I would deal with them later, I decided.

I fell back onto my bed with a huff and rolled over, hugging myself as I tried to pretend Edward was there. It wasn't really happening, but eventually, it worked and I drifted off to sleep.

I was so whipped and it had only been a couple of days. It was really kind of sad actually.

I wasn't wrong. Alice was there at nine for the workout, trying to keep her balance as she laughed on the treadmill. When I finally finished the story she just looked at me and asked, "what did it ever do to you?"

"It was an evil pillow," I muttered.

"Oh," Alice drew out slowly, looking over at me. "Was it made from the feathers of an evil goose? Where did you buy it? I want one."

"Shut up," I mumbled, picking up my pace some. "But because I didn't sleep so well I got up at five and got twice as much work done today than I thought I would."

"I guess there are some benefits to not sleeping," she commented.

"Yeah, it makes me feel a little bit better. I'll get a little more work done and I won't feel so guilty about not working on Friday."

"You do need days off now and again."

I shrugged, "I know. That's hard though sometimes."

"I know, but you'll kill yourself if you don't have a little fun now again."

I chuckled, smiling wickedly over at her, "I'm having a lot of fun lately."

After our workout, Alice headed out without taking a shower. She decided that she would just head home and take a nap before showering and getting ready for her day with her family tomorrow. It caused her a lot of stress sometimes. Families were just that way.

I instead decided to take advantage of the hot tub before taking a quick shower in the locker room. Their showers were amazing, especially for a gym.

As I came out of the locker room, I almost ran straight into a pole of a man. He gripped me by the arms tightly, keeping me from falling. Looking up slowly, I realized it was Aro.

"Isabella, how are you, my dear? I haven't seen you since Halloween," he said smoothly as he straightened me up.

I bit my lip and blushed as I thought about that night. "Yeah, I've been rather busy."

"Actually, I've been keeping my eye out for you. I was wondering if you'd like to join the self-defense group that will be starting the beginning of December. There are only a few spots left and I'd feel better if you took one of them."

He was being very kind and honestly I had forgotten all about it. I nodded my head and he smiled widely, "Good! Good, dear. Why don't we go ahead and sign you up? It's only twice a week for the month of December. I help teach the course."

"I'm not really sure if I'm cut out for things like that."

"Nonsense! Every single person should know how to protect themselves. Especially a lovely young woman such as yourself."

Before I left the gym I was signed up for the class. I supposed it was just another thing crossed off my list. But as I said, I wasn't sure if I was cut out for it. Just like dancing, I would have to see. He was right though. Everyone did need to know how to protect themselves.

I had just gotten home and changed when my phone began to ring. It was from Edward.

"Hello?"

"Bella! Hey!" He said breathlessly.

"Are you okay?" I asked, concerned right away.

"Yes, I'm fine. It's just... well... Okay, so my aunt asked me to watch her daughter while she did some cooking today which I agreed to since she said she'd pick her up at three but then I got the baby and Rosalie called and Emmett is having some sort of health issue and asked me to watch Bridget until she gets off work, around five."

"We can cancel." I tried not to sound disappointed.

"No! That's not why I called. Actually, I mentioned something about you when Rosalie dropped her off and Bridget has been talking about you non-stop. She'd love to see you. I was wondering if maybe you could perhaps..."

"I'd love to come over," I smiled, biting my lip slightly. "I've gotten enough work done for today."

"That would be wonderful," he breathed softly and I heard a cry in the background. "Um, I've got to go. I'll see you in a little while?"

"Be there in a few."

And before he hung up I heard another muffled cry and someone's tiny laughter the background. I could only assume Edward needed some help. I didn't mind at all.

I dressed in jeans and a t-shirt before driving over to Edward's. When I knocked on the door it took a couple of minutes for him to answer but when he did he had a baby on his hip and his red hair was everywhere. It was adorable.

As was the huge smile he gave me when I walked inside. "Bella, thank you so much for coming."

"Not a problem. Who's this little princess?" I said, touching the tiny girl's wispy brown hair. It was curly and soft, and very beautiful. When I touched her she grinned widely, exposing her very cute smile and dimples. She had eight teeth in all with a huge gap in between the front two. She grabbed onto Edward's shoulder, shoving her face into it before peeking at me once again.

"This is Ferris, my Aunt Evelyn's daughter. She's thirteen months and too lazy to walk," he chuckled, bouncing her on his hip. She laughed, grabbing onto his more tightly.

"Ferris, what a cute name," I cooed at her. Suddenly, she lunged at me. I quickly took her into my arms and hugged her back. "And she seems to like me."

"What's not to like?" He asked before leaning over to place a kiss on my lips. It was chaste and sweet.

"Are you boyfriend and girlfriend?" A tiny voice asked below us. Bridget was standing with her hands behind her back, rocking back and forth on her heels as she smiled wickedly up at us. She had seen the whole thing.

"Um," Edward sputtered, becoming red. "I don't know. I guess that's something I'd have to talk to Ms. Bella about."

"Just Bella," I rolled my eyes and I knelt down in front of her, "yes, we are," I winked up at him and he smiled widely. "I was hoping that's okay with you."

"Yay!" She ran off squealing, Edward chuckled as he helped me get back to feet since it wasn't so easy with a baby in my arms.

"Thank you for coming," he said again. "Bridget has been talking about you. She really likes you. And I've never dealt with the two of them together at once before. I wasn't sure I'd be able to handle it."

"That's okay, I'm here now," I leaned in and gave him a gentle kiss, mindful of the child that was still in my arms. The baby that happened to be twisting her fingers all in my hair.

"Have you had lunch yet? I have something in mind that's quick and I know Bridge likes it. Do you like Chinese?"

"Sounds good and no, I haven't eaten. Why don't I keep the girls entertained while you cook?"

"Perfect."

"Edward, what are we eating?" Bridget asked from the living room. There was a big bucket of toys out and I could see past it into his bedroom where Ferris' playpen was. I couldn't imagine living in a place like his with two kids. It would be hard.

"Well," he began to smile wickedly. "I was going to make fungus with trees and worms. In dirt sauce."

"Ew!" She giggled, spinning around in a circle. "Edward!"

"What!?" He asked in an innocent voice.

"No, you're not!" She pouted. "You make good food. Make good food, please."

"Ah, okay. If I must. I guess I'll have to make something better." He winked at me before going into the kitchen. The baby was still content in my arms but I had a feeling soon that wouldn't be the case. I looked around the room, trying to decide what I wanted to do.

The only thing that was really up to date in the apartment was Edward's stereo system. _Typical boy. _"Bridget, do you like to dance?" I asked. She nodded her head. "Want to come dance with me and Ferris?"

"Okay," she shrugged.

Edward's stereo was hooked up to his computer which had a huge amount of songs on it. I turned on the media player, carefully trying to pick out music to listen to with children. Little ears have big mouths and I didn't want anything bad repeated.

First I picked a song that was in a bunch of phone commercials a few years before by a Japanese band. It sounded like something from the fifties' surf era. It was fun to dance to. I swung the baby around, dancing around in a circle with Bridget.

Both girls were squealing and laughing. Especially when I swung my hair around wildly.

Next, I did pick something from the actual fifties. It was Shake, Rattle, and Roll.

"I want to dance with Ferris!" Bridget said, holding her hands up. I put the baby down on the floor, holding her hands so she could stand. Bridget took over for me after I told her to be careful. The baby wiggled her bottom and stomped her little feet unsteadily.

It pleased them both a great deal.

I put my arms above my head, swaying with the music.

Edward came out of the kitchen, chuckling. He grabbed me up quickly, giving me a little spin before leaning me back. I laughed loudly, holding onto him tightly. When the song was over I swatted him on the butt and told him not to burn dinner.

Next, I played The Clash. I took both girls in my arm and danced with them both. I was surprised I was able to do it the entire song because they were heavy. I was thankful it was a short song. After that was Lie in our Grave by Dave Matthews Band.

Edward came out of the kitchen once again, leaning against the wall and smiling. "Dinner is ready."

"It's lunch, Edward," Bridget corrected him as she walked to the table. "Dinner is at night. And it's not night. Breakfast is in the morning."

"Well, excuse me, Ms. Bridge. I'll keep that in mind in the future." He rolled his eyes. He brought out three plates of Lo mein with beef, mushrooms, and broccoli. It was in a brown sauce. It smelled amazing.

"So, fungus with trees and worms in a dirt sauce?" I asked with a smile as he took the baby from my arms. He chuckled as he sat, putting her in his lap. She immediately grabbed for a noodle, shoving it into her mouth.

"Yes, but doesn't it smell lovely?" He teased, picking up the noodle that Ferris flung because it was a little hot. "Be patient, little one. Honestly, she'll eat anything."

"I want to say our prayers!" Bridget said loudly.

Edward nodded before whispering to me, "she's started a private Christian preschool three days a week and they do prayers before they eat anything. It's funny to see Emmett try to hold back when she demands they do them." He cleared his throat, "go ahead, Bridge."

"God is great. God is good. Let us thank him for this food! By his hands, we all are fed. Thank you, God, for our daily bread, AMEN!"

Ferris clapped over the excited girl across from her before launching for another bite of noodles. Edward kept her back, picking up his fork and twirling the strand around the prongs. "Very lovely, baby. You should ask Auntie Edith and Evelyn if you can do the prayers tomorrow. I bet they'd love that."

I smiled, placing my hand on Edward's lap. He blew on the food before taking it to the baby's mouth. She sucked it down quickly. "Do you want me to do that?"

"No, I got it. I like feeding her. Enjoy," he said, pressing a kiss to my cheek.

Much to my surprise, Bridget was also chowing down. She didn't seem to be all that picky which was a good thing. Maybe it was just because Edward's cooking was so good. There certainly weren't any complaints from me.

After lunch, we laid the baby down for a nap in the playpen and we played play-doh with Bridget. Edward and I were having a little bit too much fun. We were making animals and destroying them with a little more vigor than we should have.

Apparently, Bridget thought that was high entertainment.

When Ferris woke up we gave her a sippy cup of juice and played on the floor with stack cups. Bridget kept building them just so the baby could knock them down. Every time they fell she would go, _'oh, no!_' at the top of her lungs and then smile. It was adorable.

I was a little sad when three o'clock came and Edward's uncle George came to pick up Ferris. He introduced me politely and I shook his hand. The handsome light skin dark haired man shook back, smiling at me charmingly. He asked if I would be joining them for the holiday and when I said yes, he was very pleased.

Edward helped them to the car as Bridget and I sat on the couch, listening to some music he had picked out. It was on the piano, very beautiful and soothing. She was beginning to fade, her head on my lap. I stroked her hair gently as I laid my head back against the couch.

"You two are lovely together," Edward whispered as he sat beside me, his arm draped around my neck. I put my head on his shoulder, yawning softly. "Do you want to watch a movie?"

I nodded my head and Edward quickly picked a film before coming to sit with us again. It was something simple and innocent, a fantasy movie that would be okay if Bridget watched.

But she was asleep.

And so was I after about ten minutes of Edward stroking my hair.

I woke up abruptly when there was a loud knock on the door. Edward moved me over gently as I rubbed my eyes, going to answer it. It was around five thirty and Rose was there in a business suit and heels, looking a little flustered.

"How was she today?" She asked, pushing a random blond hair out of her eyes.

"She was great. I invited Bella over and she helped." Edward smiled in my direction. I smiled in return, picking up the sleeping child in my arms. She didn't budge. "I think we wore her out."

"Good," she mumbled as she took her into her arms. "Tomorrow will be a big day and she'll need to get her sleep."

"Bye Bridge," he said, leaning over to kiss the top of her head fondly in a soft voice. "I hope Emmett feels better."

"I called him and he says he's feeling better. I think he hammed it up to have a 'day off'. No worries, I'm sure he'll be fine by tomorrow. I'll see you at Edith's."

"Of course," he said, opening the door for her.

I was a little put off by the fact that Rosalie didn't say anything to me, but I wasn't going to mention it. It wasn't worth it. I figured she was probably just stressed, with the holidays and everything. It was a lot to deal with.

Edward and I flopped back onto the couch with each other. He drew me into his arms, kissing my forehead lightly. "Well, Mr. Cullen, I had a lovely time playing house with you today."

He chuckled, lifted up my chin to look into his house, "maybe one day it won't be playing."

"I thought men were supposed to run away from commitment," I said as I leaned up some, pecking his lips several times lightly. He placed his hand on my cheek, pulling me back so I could look into his deep soulful green eyes.

"Isabella, when are you going to learn that I'm not like other men?" He leaned forward and kissed me firmly, pushing me back against the cushions of the couch. Edward was beautiful as he hovered over me, his warm lips tracing the lines of my jaw.

He was right. Edward wasn't like other men.

And at that moment, he was setting me on fire.

**And now I want some Chinese… And some Edward. **

**Thanks for reading!**

_**Things she's done so far:**_ **Reconnected with a friend, size 10, orgasm, take the next flight to anywhere, kiss a stranger, danced in the rain, hide and seek, gotten high, Casino, tattoo, high heels and worn them, flirted, dance lessons, joined a gym, Concert, something crafty, Sunrise, Greek Food, self-defense course, French food, Gay club, Halloween, Hair color, double feature, and interview with a vampire. **

_**Things she hasn't done yet:**_ **London, formal wear event, loving herself, told off someone, make a healthy dish weekly, bed and breakfast, plant a tree, Kinky, New Orleans Mardi Gras, bought something from Tiffany's, visit winery, thrown a party, knit, baseball game, Ripley's believe it or not, fancy knickers, 5 star hotel, spa, 10 different beers from different countries, two-piece bathing suit, dance club, sunbathe, grow some sort of plant, and clean up language. **

**And she's scratched off having a blind date off her list because she doesn't want one anymore. As you can see, we've got a ways to go with this story. You can see where some of the chapters are going, others will be a total surprise, but I hope you enjoy and I hope this helps if you're confused. **


	15. Chapter 15

**Thanksgiving**

The rest of the evening was wonderful and comfortable. And I hated I had to go. I needed to bake the pie I was going to bring to Thanksgiving. Edward once again complained that I didn't have to but I told him that I wanted to. He walked me to my car, leaning me up against the door to give me a sensuous kiss with hips against hips, lips against lips, and fingertips searching for anywhere to perch. By the time we were done making out I was panting and having a hard time remember why I needed to leave.

But, I think that he did that on purpose.

"I'll pick you up around eleven?" He asked, kissing my neck lightly. "Unless you want to stay."

"I want to stay but I need to cook," I complained, leaning my head back. His hand skirted around my right breast and I practically groaned in frustration. "Behave. We'll see each other tomorrow."

"Fine." He pouted as he pulled away, placing a last kiss on my lips.

Edward was good at what he did and dammit if he didn't know it.

I woke up the next morning early to bake my pecan pie. It was one of the few things I could do well. Dessert-wise anyway. While it was cooking I called to wished Charlie a Happy Thanksgiving. Then I called my mother.

"Hey, Mom," I said into the phone.

"Bella! Happy Thanksgiving," she called. I could hear laughter in the background. I was kind of grateful for that. It meant that this would be a short phone call.

"You, too. I just wanted to wish you a happy holiday," I replied, nibbling on my bottom lip as I watched the clock. I decided after my conversation with my mom I would go get showered and dressed.

"Aw, how sweet. Well, I love you honey and I'll talk to you later!"

And she hung up. Well, I was right about it being a short phone call. I still had forty-five minutes of baking time to get ready which was more than enough.

I wasn't really sure what to wear. What does one wear to something like this? Most of my clothing was too big which was a pain. I would have to do some shopping and very soon.

After a while, I decided on a pair of jeans with a comfortable pair of boots since it was chilly outside. A long dark blue sweater finished the whole thing off, the knitted outfit going past my bottom. It was baggy, but it was comfortable. I pinned my hair halfway up, leaving the bottom down. Light makeup and jewelry were next. I didn't want to look trashy around Edward's family, but I didn't want to look plain either.

I had just wrapped the pie in foil when Edward knocked on the door. I ran to it quickly, throwing my arms around his neck and giving him a deep kiss. He laughed quietly, rubbing my back as he returned it.

"You smell like pie," he commented teasingly. "I could eat you up."

"Hm, I think we'd be late. And I don't want that."

Edward frowned playfully but agreed. He took the pie and led me to his car. After opening the door for me like a gentleman, he slipped the pie into the trunk where apparently he kept the items he brought. I wasn't sure what he made exactly but his entire car smelled of pumpkin and spice faintly. It was nice.

"Is there anything I should know about your family?" I asked.

"Well, they're crazy. If they tease you about good things, they like you. Trust me, they tease everyone they love. It's always in good nature. I think that's about it."

"That doesn't give me a lot to go on." I frowned slightly.

"Everyone is like Emmett, except smaller and usually louder."

"That's scary," I mumbled.

He shrugged and laughed, "but fun."

There were about fifty cars parked in front of a large ranch style home when we arrived. It was a modest, albeit large, place. There were kids everywhere with some adults sprinkled about. Most had plastic cups in their hands, drinking something, as they talked to others. About half of the people there had wild red hair, a lot like Edward's or almost black hair, like Emmett's. The rest was fairly well mixed.

"I'll bring the in stuff in a minute," Edward explained as he opened the door for me. "I don't want the wolves to descend when you're unprotected."

"I'm so not comforted."

Edward just smiled wickedly, taking my hand as he brought me inside. Different people greeted him but he didn't slow to speak to them. He seemed to have a destination in mind.

Apparently, it was the kitchen.

"Edward!" A woman said happily as she wiped her hands on her apron. They had the same sharp nose and bright green eyes. "Hey, sweetie!"

He hugged her tightly, "Hi, Aunt Edith."

"It's been so long since I've seen you!" She pouted. "How have you been?"

"Great," he nodded his head happily. "This is Bella."

I stuck out my hand but she brought me into a hug. "Hi, darling. So nice to meet you!"

There were others in the kitchen, just smiling. There were mostly women around the age of forty, one much older and a couple younger. There was also a dark-haired man with gray at his temples and pretty blue eyes.

"I'd like to introduce everyone to-" Edward began rather formally but was interrupted by the booming voice of Emmett.

"Hey, everyone!" He shouted, his daughter on his hip. He slid her down out of his arms and she ran towards the older woman. The woman bent down and gave her a tight hug. "Hi, Ma."

"I thought you said Emmett's parents were dead," I blurted out before I had time to really think about what I was saying. I clamped my hand over my mouth quickly, blushing red.

"You told her I was dead!" The very proud southern woman asked her hands on her hips.

"No, I didn't!" Edward said, bringing up his hands defensively. "I said you weren't around anymore. I'm sorry. I mean, they live in Florida now."

"That's right," she nodded her head, smiling brightly. Her hair was the exact same tone of red as Edward's, her skin bright snow white and lovely.

"Bella, you should know," Edward turned to me with the most serious expression I had ever seen, "the good die young. Evil is everlasting. Memaw is never going to die."

Emmett burst into laughter as the old woman came over and slapped Edward on top of the head, a smile on her face the entire time. "If that's true you're going to join me. Both of you. You little heathens."

Edward laughed evilly before getting smacked on the shoulder. The older gentlemen smiled the entire time, rolling his eyes. "Would you three behave? Honestly! We've got guests."

"Ah, Bella's okay. She already knows we're heathens," Emmett said.

The woman, with one more jab to the ribs to Edward which made him whimper with laughter, came over to me. "I'm so sorry for my rude children and grandchildren. I'm Elizabeth and this is my husband, Ed. And who might you be, my dear?"

Bridget, who apparently had been quiet too long decided to jump in at that exact moment. "Bella is Edward's girlfriend!"

The tiny woman pulled me into a hug while Edward's aunt Edith gave him another hug. I heard Emmett go _'hell yeah! Go Eddie!_' in the background.

"Ah, and she's so beautiful, Edward!" Elizabeth said, smiling brightly.

"Memaw, she's right there. She can hear you. Perhaps you should talk to her." He smiled. Edward leaned over and pressed a kiss on my cheek. "I'm going to get the stuff from the car. I'll be right back. I tried to defend you but the wolves have seemed to have gotten you."

"Did he just call us wolves?" Another woman said in the background. She had dark hair like Emmett. "Hi, I'm Evelyn. Apparently, you helped out with my daughter yesterday."

"Yeah. We had a great time." I smiled. The woman led me away from the group and to a stool around an island in the kitchen. They all gathered around like I was something interesting.

I was so going to get Edward when he got back. He shouldn't have left me alone.

"So, how long have you and Edward been together?" Edith asked.

"We've been friends for a couple of months but we just started dating. When he found out that I was going to spend Thanksgiving alone he invited me along. I hope that's okay."

The group of women awed. "Of course! We would have been mad if he hadn't."

"How did you meet?" Elizabeth asked curiously.

"We have mutual friends. Jasper, Rosalie's brother, and Alice."

"How serious is it?" His Aunt Evelyn asked, a devious smile on her face.

"Stop volleying her around like a tennis ball and Lyn, behave," Edward said, carrying in a huge box with my tiny pie on the very top. "And here we are. Two hundred of my mother's famous pumpkin cheesecake mini tarts and an amazing smelling pecan pie made by Bella. Where would you like to put them?"

"Put it in the dining room with the rest of the desserts," Edith said. "I've got to get back to work!"

"Anything I can do to help?" I offered.

"No, no! Lets us! We've got it!" Elizabeth said. "Edward, go take her around and introduce her to everyone."

I almost ran out of that room, that's how grateful I was. Edward nodded his head towards another door on the other side of the kitchen and I followed behind him.

"When the hell did you have time to make all that?" I asked him in a whisper.

"I woke up at five in the morning," he said with a shrug. "They're easy to make. There are just a lot of them."

"I would have helped," I told him. He placed the box down on a table filled with desserts of all kinds. And I do mean all kinds. Edward pulled me into his arms and kissed me lightly.

"I know."

"OH! Who's the hot babe?" A thick southern voice said from behind us. It was a lovely woman with dark eyes and matching hair, a wicked little crooked smile on her face like Edward's. She had spiked short hair and was almost punkish with her dark makeup.

"Hey! Esther! How are you?" Edward said, bringing the woman into a hug. "Es, this is my girlfriend Bella. Bella this is my Aunt Esther."

I think someone was trying to make up for the old fashion name with the wild outfit and hair.

"Wow. Lots of E names," I said, shaking her hand quickly.

"Edward didn't tell you? Mama took to the letter E and just ran with it," she said in her thick accent. "She's Elizabeth, Daddy is Edward Sr. Then there is Eleazar, Edith, Esme, Eleanor, Emily, Erica, Evelyn, Evangeline, me and Emmett. Mae is the only one that did another E," she said, nodding her head towards Edward.

"To be fair though, I am named after both of my grandfathers," Edward shrugged. "Edward Sr. and James Edward."

Esther laughed, "I don't think any of us kids have children with a name that starts with E. First or middle. Or grandkids. And we didn't marry anyone with an E name either."

"Got sick of it?" I asked.

"Damn straight," she laughed. "So, Edward treating you right?"

"He's the best," I assured her. Edward smile and wrapped a gentle arm around my back.

"Aw! That's great, Eddie. Just great. I'm proud of you."

"Proud of me?" He laughed. "Why are you proud of me? It's not like I won the Olympics. I got a girlfriend. Not that Bella isn't worth her weight in gold, it's just-"

"Dude, give it up!" Emmett shouted from behind us. "You've eaten shoe leather. Stop while you're ahead."

"You know, for once I think you're right," Edward said, nodding his head while a wild blush spread across his cheeks.

"For once?" Emmett snarked. "I'm right all the time."

"In your dreams."

"Okay! You two! Stop it," Elizabeth called as she walked out with a huge platter of what looked like sweet potatoes. "Everyone get into the den. We're about to start."

"Are your parent's coming?" I asked Edward quietly as we walked towards another room. People were everywhere. Literally.

"No," Edward whispered sadly. "They're in the south of France right now, apparently. I don't want to know what they're doing. But, I'm sure you'll meet them soon enough."

I would have replied but when we walked into the den I was floored. The entire room was filled with tables covered in massive amounts of food. On the first table, there were plates with forks and knives along with napkins. After that there was meat. Lots of meat. There was a couple of roasted turkeys, fried turkeys, and what appeared to be Cajun turkeys. There were roasted chickens, several of them, and a couple of buckets of fried chicken. There was roasted beef and sausage. There were even hamburgers and hot dogs, for the kids I assumed. And then there was stuffing, at minimum seven trays, all of which were different. There was macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, and enough sweet potatoes covered in marshmallows to feed a village. Green bean casseroles and broccoli casseroles were there as well. There was every kind of vegetable I could think, cooked in every way you could think of. And at the very end, there was an entire table of different kinds of bread.

"Okay!" Edward Sr, said, clapping his hands together. "You guys know the drill! Food in here, drinks in the kitchen, dessert in the dining room. We've got tents outside so everyone can sit. Before we eat we have someone who'd like to say prayers."

Bridget, just as pleased as punch, said her little prayer just as loud as she could and when she was done everyone clapped and laughed. Especially when she asked if she could eat dessert first directly after.

"Your family is big, but I don't think we need this much food," I whispered to Edward. He chuckled and nodded his head.

"We don't. But, what we do is we have to-go containers, like from a restaurant, and everyone makes one filled with dinner stuff and another filled with dessert before they go. That way everything is taken care of and Edith doesn't have to store it at the house and everyone has leftovers for a couple of days. Plus, everyone has used foil pans so the clean up easier."

"That's pretty smart," I agreed. "Everything looks so good."

"There was a reason I was chunky," he chuckled. I looked around and no one was really overweight. Emmett was huge, but not because he was fat. Edward noticed and said, "everyone can eat and eat on this side of the family and stay thin. I got my father's genetics on that part, I'm afraid."

And apparently, the cooking gene was on the McCarty side of the family because everything tasted amazing. And when Edward said that Thanksgiving was the only day he really let go and ate, he meant it.

He had at least three plates. But, in all fairness, I had two and I kept stealing bites off his. And that wasn't including dessert. We shared a giant plate of different things. Cakes, cheesecakes, tarts, puddings, jellos and like seven different types of pie including pecan, blueberry, cherry, apple, pumpkin, and peach. And I think there was even a plum pie. I wasn't sure. And there was a cobbler.

My thighs were growing by the jiffy. Not by the second, but by the tenth of a second. Or at least I think that's what a jiffy was.

"I'm miserable," Edward complained, leaning against me underneath the tent outside.

"I can't imagine why," I snickered, kissing his forehead as I rubbed his cheek gently. He chuckled, rubbing his nose against mine.

"Hey, Ed! Come help us with the equipment," Emmett called to him from across the table. I hadn't even realized that anyone else was there, I was so much in my own world. Edward sighed, nodding his head as he stood slowly, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

Rosalie remained seated, looking beautiful and uncomfortable as she crossed her legs and sighed. I felt instantly uncomfortable as well but I couldn't think of a good enough excuse to get up and leave.

"I want to apologize for being so cold to you."

_What_?

I looked up and Rosalie was gazing right at me, a slight frown on her face. "It's not you," she said in what I guessed was a reassuring voice. For her, anyway.

"Oh, okay."

"I've been extremely tired lately. I work so much and then there are Bridget and Emmett to deal with when I get home. I don't feel like I can get a break. When I'm tired, I'm a bitch."

"Oh," I breathed, blushing slightly in embarrassment.

"Bridget speaks very highly of you."

"She's a sweet little girl," I smiled.

"Edward is quite smitten with you. Jasper and Alice are both quite pleased that you two are a couple now. It seems they think you two are perfect for each other."

"I enjoy his company," I answered truthfully. "He makes me happy."

She smiled almost privately and looking down, rubbing her knee gently as she thought something over. "Edward is my nephew, but he's my friend as well. Emmett cares for him a great deal. He was very sad as a teenager. Very closed off."

"He's told me," I breathed. "Parts of it anyway."

"He's changing. We've seen it since the concert. I will ask you one thing: don't jerk around with his emotions."

"I won't," I promised her quietly.

"Good. Because if you do, I'll jerk you around," she smiled at me teasingly. I laughed, looking away as I pursed my lips.

"I think I could take you."

"I doubt it. Rosalie's a mean one," Emmett said, kissing the top of his wife's head. It took me a moment to realize what he was holding. It was a large nerf machine gun. Edward was holding one as well.

I guess he wasn't joking.

I snickered, rolling my eyes as he winked at me. "Come on, woman," he said to Rosalie. "I am taking you down."

"I don't think so, Ginger," Rosalie said, standing up. "Your freckled ass is going down."

"My ass isn't freckled," Edward muttered as they started to go in the large field behind the tents. He helped me stand, handing me another gun from his back pocket.

"Bella would know," Emmett commented and I flushed. Edward pouted out his bottom lip, his cheeks flushing.

"You know. I haven't spent much time staring at it. It's on my to-do list," I said as I walked past Emmett, keeping my chin high up in the air. Emmett sputtered and Rosalie laughed loudly.

"Bella, I think I'm going to like you. You can make Em speechless. It's a miracle!"

"Well, the holiday is all about miracles," Edward said, grabbing me around the waist and kissed me deeply. He put his lips next to my ear. "I didn't see that on the list."

"Oh, I'm totally putting it on there."

"Alright!" A male I didn't know shouted from in the middle of the field. "Here's the deal: keep shooting. Play nice. Don't hurt anyone ON PURPOSE. Play fair and have fun!"

"Last year," Edward whispered in my ear, "Emmett changed into a kilt and nothing else besides Scooby Doo boxers. He even painted his face blue. He gave the full Braveheart speech. He was the first one everyone took down. I'm so glad he didn't do it this year. I think it's too cold. Last year it was like seventy outside."

"Thank God for cold fronts," I muttered. Like six people around me responded 'amen.'

"Hey! I look good," Emmett said with a giant frown.

"You've got chicken legs and a furry back," Rosalie said with a straight face, rolling her eyes.

"This isn't going to end well," Edward whispered in my ear again.

Oh boy, and he was right. Someone ended tying Emmett to a pine tree, I suspect Rose and Edward were on it together, and the kids were now using him as target practice. It was awesome. Emmett was taking it all in good fun.

When we were worn out we gave our guns to the kids and plopped down in the tent with mulled cider and another plate of dessert. Rosalie propped her feet up, a small smile on her face. Bridget ran up to her before hugging her tightly.

"Where's Daddy?"

"Tied to a pine tree in the backyard. Why don't you go check on him?"

And you know that a family is _special_ when the kid doesn't even bat an eyelash. She just nodded her head and took off.

"So," Rosalie began, smiling in my direction, "Alice and I are going shopping tomorrow. She said you were coming over tomorrow anyway. Would you like to join us?"

"Sure. What time?"

"Four in the morning."

"Jesus! Are you serious?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. She smiled and nodded.

"It's Black Friday, baby. Best deals in town. I save up for the entire year so I can do all my Christmas shopping tomorrow."

I looked over at Edward and he shrugged. I rolled my eyes. He was no help at all. I bit my lip, thinking about it for a moment. It would be good to get in close with Edward's family and Alice would be there to keep things from getting awkward. I supposed it was almost ideal.

"Sure, I'd love to. I have a few things I'd like to buy anyway."

**My family is all J. **

**Emmett in scooby doo boxers. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Black Friday**

Edward held my hand as we drove home. Though, I wasn't exactly sure who's home. We hadn't discussed it yet. All we knew is that we were stuffed, tired, and a little sore from running around in the afternoon.

That and we had four boxes of leftover in the trunk. We were set for at least a couple of days. I had to admit I was excited about turkey sandwiches and leftover sweet potatoes.

"Thank you," Edward said suddenly, looking over at me with a slight smile.

"For what?"

"Being so kind to Rosalie when I know she's rather harsh."

"Honestly, I thought she didn't like me at all. Though, I never thought she liked me, even when I first met Jasper back in school," I explained.

"When did you meet?" He asked, his knuckles tight on the steering wheel for some reason.

"Um, I was a sophomore in high school when they were seniors. So, I guess I was fifteen? It was 1994 or 5," I said with a shrug. "Something like that."

"Ah, so you met her after."

"After what?" I asked in confusion.

Edward sighed deeply, a slight frown on her face. "Has Jasper ever told you about how Rosalie and Emmett met?"

"No." I shook my head.

"Rosalie is very sterilized about the whole thing so I don't think she'll mind if I tell you. She'll tell anyone who asks. She acts like it doesn't bother her but I can tell it does," he said, shaking his head before giving another sigh. "Rosalie was raped."

"How awful." I frowned.

"She was a cheerleader and she was dating a football player. A real jackass by the name of King. He took her out behind the school during a dance and tried to get into her dress, as Rosalie states it. When she didn't let him, he started hitting her. And kicking. Until she stopped moving and just took it. Emmett was trying to sneak out for a smoke when he heard the noise."

"I didn't realize Emmett smoked."

Of all the things I could comment on, I can't believe I said that. It was just so horrible to think about. That's all my mind could wrap around.

"He used to. He stopped once he turned eighteen. He said it wasn't cool anymore after that. Anyway, Emmett pulled King off and beat the living hell out of him. He then called the police, leaving the bloody bastard there and drove Rosalie to the hospital himself. He left his date there. Rosalie had passed out during all of this and when she woke up he was carrying her into the hospital."

"How... _awful_..." I breathed.

Edward gave a small smile. "It is. But, when Rosalie woke up she says all she saw was the bright lights and her own personal angel. Emmett never left her side after that and they got married not a year later. They had to wait until he was eighteen. She's a little older than him."

"That's amazing." I hadn't even realized I went to school with Emmett.

"Rosalie acts like it wasn't a big deal but she's cut herself off emotionally to anyone but Emmett and Bridget. And Jasper, Alice, and me, I suppose. Rosalie and I were pretty close when I was a teenager because we always felt like we didn't belong with the loud McCarty group."

"Explains why she wants to protect you," I said, squeezing his hand gently.

"It also explains why she's willing to let you in, at least a little bit. She figures that if I care for you so deeply then there must be something amazingly good about you. Which there is," Edward smiled charmingly. "So, once again, I say thank you."

"You are very welcome. Though I don't honestly want to wake up that early." I frowned slightly. Edward chuckled, squeezing my hand again.

"I know, I'm sorry. Would you like to go to my place or yours?"

"Which is closest?"

"Mine."

"Fine with me." I shrugged, smiling over at him. "Maybe you can play for me some more."

"Play for or play with?" Edward wiggled his eyebrows at me playfully, his cheeks a soft red color. "I just want to clarify."

"Play for me and I just might play with you later," I said suggestively as I ran my hand from his knee all the way between his legs. He was already a little hard and I could feel him pressed against his inner thigh.

I was so glad that it was already dark outside and the other cars couldn't see in.

Edward gasped softly, his mouth forming a large O. I gripped him through his jeans, giving him a little rub before giving him a squeeze. He groaned loudly, jerking his hips up when my hand slowly went back to his knee.

"Does that sound good to you?" I asked innocently, batting my eyelashes and biting my bottom lip.

"What would you like me to play?" He said, swallowing heavily.

"Well, I've heard you play piano and the violin now so I suppose guitar. I've always thought guitarists were hot," I answered in a breathy voice.

"You are being so cruel," he whined softly as we pulled up into a parking space by his apartment.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I said, raising my chin as I got out of the car. He rolled his eyes, following behind me to get the food. After he slammed the trunk down, food in both of our hands, he leaned in close with his soft lips pressed against my ear.

"Just for that, I'm going to make you cum over and over again until you can't walk tomorrow."

And then the bastard walked off, leaving me behind to stutter and whimper. "You can't just say things like that and walk away," I complained when I got into the apartment. He chuckled, taking the boxes from my hands and put them in the fridge.

"You can't just stroke my cock and stop."

I pouted, "I won't stop now."

"You'll just have to wait now. I'm going to play my guitar." He threw his head back playfully like I did earlier, except more extreme, and went into his closet to pull out an acoustic guitar.

"You're a tease," I smiled at him, but I'll admit that I wanted to hear him play.

And when he did, sitting perched on his old rocking chair, it made me giggle. I recognized it right away.

"Dave Matthews Band?"

"I learned it this morning while I was cooking the tarts. While baking anyway. I wanted to after watching you dance with Bridget and Ferris," he commented, still playing. It made me smile. "It made me so happy."

"Why?" I asked, biting my bottom lip as I watched him with fascination. If he missed any of the chords, I certainly didn't know it and he played it off well.

"Bella, you are a wonderful woman and to have you in my life is great. But, having you actually get along with some of the people I love the most? I don't think I could put into words how that makes me feel."

He was going to make me cry if he continued to talk like that so I decided not to say anything more. I looked down at my fingers, sitting down on the edge of his couch. Just watching him gave me such a warm feeling.

"This is my favorite part," as he does what I believe is the chorus. I smiled and he returned it brilliantly. Giggling, I ducked my head again.

_Gah, what is this man doing to me?_

The song drew to a close and he smiled at me wickedly. "Any requests?"

_I have a few that don't require the guitar... or clothing_. I smiled, keeping that thought to myself. "Surprise me."

He began to play Smoke on the Water and it made me laugh. It sounded odd on an acoustic. "Something different?"

"Please. Play that on an electric sometime."

"I have one if you want to hear it," he said, nodding his head towards the closet

"I want to hear more from this one," I answered, not knowing how to phrase it. "It's more relaxing."

"Okay, hm..." he drew out, biting his bottom lip as he considered what to play.

I almost fell over at his next choice. It was _Why don't we get drunk and screw_ by Jimmy Buffett, the song I walked out on during the concert.

"I'll pay you fifty bucks to sing the song," I giggled, laying back against his couch as I propped up my feet. He chuckled, shaking his head.

"If I sing to you it'll be for more and a better song."

"A hundred?" I tempted him, wiggling my eyebrows. "I'll make it worth your while."

"I think not, Ms. Swan," he chuckled, deftly playing the song.

"There's nothing I can do to persuade you?"

"I don't want your money." He smiled at me sweetly, shaking his head. His green eyes were so shy as they looked up at me from underneath his eyelashes.

"What about one hundred kisses then?" I asked, flirting with him innocently.

"If I were more confident I'd sing John Mayer to you. _Your body is a wonderland_, but I want to do something better than that. Especially for such a generous offer."

_Good, because I think my panties would just combust if you sang that,_ I thought to myself, a little too pleased. He smiled like he knew what I was thinking, his cheeks flaming as he bit his lip. He strummed the guitar absentmindedly, thinking.

Edward cleared his throat, "okay, I apologize for sucking in advance."

"You won't," I promised him, getting up to sit closer to him on the floor. He smiled slightly, his flush becoming brighter. And then he began to play.

It was totally unexpected. I knew the song right away, remembering it from when I was in college, I think. It came on all the time. It was Red Hot Chili Peppers.

"_Soft spoken with a broken, step outside but not to brawl, and autumn sweep call to fall I'll make it to the moon if I have to crawl,_" he sang in a deep voice, his accent disappearing. And I swooned. Yeah, it was girlish, and it was sad. But I did. I felt myself get warm all over as I chewed on my bottom lip, his eyes locked on mine the entire time.

_He is so going to get laid tonight. _

When the song ended I stood up quickly and took the guitar out of his hands. He smiled as I slid onto his lap, his arms going around my waist as my arms went around his neck. We kissed for a long minute and I pulled away to breathe into his ear, "one."

"Ninety-nine to go," he said before pecking my lips. "Ninety-eight."

I kissed his neck several times, his skin rising up in goosebumps to meet my lips. He counted down to eighty-nine before I brought my lips back up to his ear. "Edward, do you have any condoms?"

"Are you serious?" He asked, pulling me back slightly to look into my face. I nodded slowly, leaning up to press a kiss to his forehead.

"Eighty-eight," I count for him before kissing his lips. "Eight-seven. How many condoms do you have?"

"Um, a few," he muttered, swallowing heavily. I giggled, loving that I could do that to him. I gently ran my tongue over his jaw, just the tip before kissing it lightly. "What number is that?"

"E-eighty six," he whimpered, his long fingers gripping my hip tightly.

"I want you to keep count. I want to make sure you get exactly what I owe you." I stood up, stretching out slowly before I start to move to the bedroom. "I hope we have enough. Condoms, that is."

He was behind me in a second, pushing me against his bedroom door. His mouth was all over mine, his fingers pushing up my sweater so that his hands could snake onto my skin. I whimpered quietly against his mouth, my fingers resting on the back of his neck to hold him closer to me.

"It's not going to be enough for what I want to do to you tonight," he breathed. One minute he could be so shy and the next so commanding. It's a bit of a whirlwind, but I loved it. His lips traveled down my neck, sucking it gently. "And, I want you to keep count, Isabella."

_Fuckity, fuck, fuck..._

We made it to seventy kisses before we made it into the bedroom. Sixty before we got to the bed. Edward groaned as my lips traveled down his neck. I yanked at his long-sleeved shirt, trying to pull it over his head. It stuck around his neck and he grabbed the back quickly to throw it to the floor. His long fingers grabbed the ends of my sweater, relieving me of the too hot fabric. The cool air of the bedroom hit my chest and I hissed as goosebumps covered my skin.

Edward's hands ran over my arms slowly, taking both of my hands in his own once he reached the bottom. I lightly kissed his chest, tracing the soft pink freckles from one side of his neck to the other.

"Bella," he whimpered quietly, his arms going to my back to try to figure out how to take off my bra.

"Somewhere around forty-five," I breathed against his ear softly. "And the clasp is around the front."

"Oh, thank god. I thought it was me," he mumbled as his hands swiftly came to my front. I giggled softly, leaning back away from his body to pop the clasp with one hand. "Now that takes talent."

"I've gotten about twenty years of practice," I teased as my comfortable black bra dropped to the floor. He took in a sharp breath, his eyes growing wide.

This was it. Not drinks. No... _cake_. Just us. I felt exposed but he made me feel beautiful. He didn't have to say anything. It was all said with a look.

His hands went to my ribs, pulling me in for a deep kiss. I moaned softly against his mouth, his chest on fire against mine. I could feel the rapid beat of his heart, his blood pulsing below his skin.

"You are a goddess but you must promise me something," he said very seriously. Edward's words were barely about a breath, hot and wanting.

"What?"

His fingers weaved into my hair, pulling me in for another kiss before he spoke. "Don't lose too much more weight. You are glorious just the way you are. I really just want you happy and healthy, but your curves are divine."

I took in a deep breath, looking up into his sparkling deep green eyes. I took face in my hands, kissing him my thanks.

All counting and playfulness were soon forgotten.

As more pieces of clothing dropped to the floor the temperature in the room tripled. Edward laid me back on the bed, kissing me slowly and deeply as he did.

"Condom, please," I asked quietly as my hands traced his sides. His skin is so soft, delicate almost. Edward moved quickly, pulling a condom from his bedside stand.

"I figured it would be wise to be prepared after third base," he smiled at me before ripping the condom package open with his teeth. I plucked the rubber from the silver foil and carefully rolled it onto him.

His eyes were so wild as I looked into them. Positioning himself over me, he spreads my legs wide with his knees as he pressed kisses all over my mouth and cheeks.

"I need you inside of me again," I whispered as his lips kissed down my chin and down the center of my neck.

The apartment could have been on fire but I would have never known it. Or cared.

He guided himself into me and his thickness was more of a shock than it was before. I groaned, throwing my head back. My back arched as his hand ran over my neck, his nails gently dragging over my flesh.

"Jesus, so hot," he breathed as he nipped my chin as his hips slowly moved back and forth.

I wrapped my leg around his waist and pulled him closer. He held the back of my knee, spreading my legs a little bit more so he could press even deeper.

"Fuck," I hissed, moving my hips forward to meet his as best I could. I felt like I could barely keep myself on the bed.

"This is-" Edward began before moaning loudly. "Shit. Oh, god. Touch yourself."

I squeezed my hand between us, pressing two fingers against the swollen and most sensitive part of my body. And honestly, I didn't even have to move them at all. Every time Edward pressed forward he pushed my fingers against me, his soft curly red hair brushing against my fingers each time.

"I..I.. oh... Oh, mother of... uh... Good GOD," I shouted loudly as my legs began to quake. I just shattered underneath him, breaking into a million different pleasurable little pieces.

"I'm not done with you," he whispered against my neck. "Not by a long shot."

He pulled my hand free and brought it up to his mouth, licking and sucking my fingers clean. Each time he nibbled an aftershock of electricity shot up my thighs before shoot back down to my toes.

"Wrap your legs around me," Edward whispered against my jaw as he took both of my hands and pinned them above my head. "And hold on."

I have never been perkier at nearly four in the morning before. I stole one of Edward's turtle necks to cover up my hickeys, teasing my mussed up hair into a wild ponytail. My jeans were still pretty clean and my boots were comfortable enough. It would do.

As soon as Alice saw me she grinned wildly, trying not to spill the two coffees she's had in her hands as she did a little bounce. Rosalie was standing beside her, a knowing smirk on her face.

"Oh, my sex gods! Someone got laid last night!" Alice squealed.

"What are you talking about?" I smile at her innocently. She raised an eyebrow and I smiled wildly. "I'm sure Rosalie doesn't want to hear about that."

"I ain't blood with Edward. Of course I want to hear this," she said, taking a big sip of her huge coffee. Alice giggled, nodding her head as we waited for the mall to open its door. Grapevine Mills was massive and had a ton of stores we wanted to visit before we invade another mall not too far away.

Apparently, Rosalie had a battle plan. I wasn't going to argue.

I had a lot more people to buy presents for this year than I did last. It was a wonderful thought and I was very happy that I had won that money at the casino.

"Well?" Alice pushed, handing me the coffee. I took a long sip just to torture her.

"We had sex from about ten o'clock until about," I looked at my watch before looking up at them, "forty-five minutes ago? Maybe. Oh, remind me to pick up a giant box of condoms."

"I miss those days," Rosalie pouted, surprising me a little bit.

"Speak for yourself," Alice giggled. Rosalie scrunched up her nose, frowning slightly.

"Now, I am blood with Jasper. I don't want to hear about _your_ sex life."

Alice rolled her eyes then did a little squeal of happiness when the doors opened. We walked in, along with a ton of other people, going towards some unknown spot. Well, unknown to me. Rosalie seemed to know. I guess she had even more people to buy for than I did.

"So, Bella, what do you need to shop for?" Rose asked, seeming a lot more pleasant. I guess a couple of days of family and good food can do that to you. That, and the weekend was still ahead. A four day weekend can brighten anyone's outlook.

"I need some new clothes. Christmas presents. I'm not really sure what kinds. I need some new panties and I wouldn't mind going to Tiffany's."

"That's an odd list," Rose snorted in the most delicate possible.

"It's just things off _her_ list," Alice said, taking a sip of her coffee. She frowned. "Sorry. It's early. Is it okay if I tell her?"

"Yeah, you mentioned something about a list yesterday too," Rosalie said, even more confused.

"Go ahead," I said. I was in a great mood and I really didn't care. She could have broadcasted it on national television for all I cared.

Alice pulled a piece of paper from her purse. I was surprised for all of a second that she had it with her. But then I realized it was Alice. Of course, she had it on her. "Okay, so when Bella turned thirty she kind of had a..."

"Nervous breakdown," I answered for her with a sarcastic smile.

"And she decided to change her life. She wrote a list and that's how we got back together. Here it is." She handed it to Rosalie.

"Does Edward know about these?" Rosalie asked with a raised eyebrow, smiling slightly at some of them.

"He does and he wants to help too," I answered sheepishly.

"Let me guess... Fancy knickers?" She asked, snickering. "Jeez, it's even in his terminology."

I laughed, "yeah. Well, I want to get those _knickers_ while my ass is still a size ten. I don't know how long it's going to be this size and I want to look as good as possible when I model them for him."

"This great!" Rosalie said. "When was your birthday? That's when you did this right?"

"September."

"You've done all this in like three months?" Rosalie asked in surprise. "Fuck, I'm writing me a list tomorrow."

Alice giggled, "I'm doing mine at new year's. I've decided that way I can really think about my list."

"I'm so glad I'm an inspiration." I rolled my eyes, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. Alice giggled again, giddy on coffee, and rested her head on my shoulder. "So, where first?"

"Old Navy!" Rosalie said excitedly. "They're doing all these shirts for five dollars and if you spend fifty you get a free game or something. I'm going to buy all the kids in the family shirts. And I think all the men too," Rosalie continued, pulling out a list of her own. It was a list of all the people she was shopping for and it was huge. She dragged us into the store, full of determination.

"What kinds of shirts?"

"Oh, ones with sayings or characters on them. They also have scarfs and sweaters on sale. I might get some of those as well."

"Rosalie has learned to just buy a lot and organize all later. It's amazing. She's the shopping master," Alice whispered, making me laugh quietly.

"You know, I never knew that being a part of a huge family could be so good. The first couple of years it was overwhelming but now... now I wouldn't have it any other way. My family is my rock," Rosalie said, not looking at anyone as she gazed at the shirts. I could tell it wasn't because she didn't mean it, but because if she looked at either of us it might become too emotional. Alice rubbed her back gently, smiling to herself.

"You know, Bella, I think some of these character tees are really fit you. Your style. You're a beautiful grudge computer geek. You should run with it," Alice said in a way to break the emotional tension.

I ended up walking out of Old Navy with two pairs of blue jeans, one black and one dark blue, five shirts for me, one of which had Stars Wars sayings on it and another that had Transformers. I got Edward a shirt that had the Mario video game Mushrooms on them.

I also ended up getting a video game for a system I didn't even have. Alice reassured me that Edward had one and that he didn't have that game. Both Jasper and he played quite a bit, apparently.

"Frederick's," Alice said with a happy little cheer. We were standing in front of Frederick's of Hollywood, a store filled with all kinds of skanky underwear and costumes. "If we can't find fancy knickers here than I don't know where!"

"Holy shit," I laughed, picking up a piece of black and pink lace as we roamed through the store. "What is this suppose to cover?"

"Nothing," Alice and Rosalie said at the same time. They both started laughing, making me snicker.

"Geez, these are kind of cheaper than I thought they would be."

"Fancy doesn't have to cost a lot." Rosalie shrugged. "And if Edward ends up ripping them to shreds then it's no big deal."

"Rose!" Alice said, mockingly shocked. "That is your _nephew_."

"Yes, he is. By marriage. And if he wasn't I'd be a cougar."

I laughed at their little scene, Rosalie and Alice play smacking each other. They ended it with tongues sticking out at each other, huffing playfully.

I think everyone was just a little too wound from the coffee and from being up so early. Or late. Or _something. _

"I think these, for sure," Alice hands me like six different things. "A little of everything."

"I don't need that much underwear."

"Did you get her some crotchless? Those are fun," Rosalie added. Alice shook her head and Rosalie picked up something that was bright white and frilly. "And these too."

"Really?" I asked, looking down at the pile.

"Yes," Alice said, shooing me towards the cash register. "You can't have too many sexy panties."

There was a thong, crotchless, boy shorts, bikini cut, a spandex material, lace, and satin.

Well, Edward was certainly going to enjoy himself.

"Okay, next stop coffee and then we hit Penny's!" Rosalie clapped her hands together, a wild and purposeful smile on her face.

It was going to be a long and interesting day.

**Reviews = motivation. Send lots, please. **

**Thanks for reading! **


	17. Chapter 17

**Cousin Tanya**

JCPenney, Dillard's, Macy's, Sears, and several different clothing stores, including Victoria secrets where I got some bras and lotion, were visited in the first couple hours. Then we went to Target and Walmart. And Kmart. There were also a couple of video game stores. Along with some toy stores too, I think. Oh and this nice stationary store that I went nuts at for my mother.

There were probably more, but by the time we crashed at eleven o'clock at a fondue place I was wiped out. By then I had already l had six cups of coffee. We were just waiting for the guys to join us.

I was so happy that I got so many new pieces of clothing for myself. And I got all of my Christmas shopping done. I got my mom some cute paper with pretty pens and all of the little knick-knacks for a desk she could possibly want. All of it was just so fun and bright. It fit her personality.

I bought my dad a new cowboy hat and some socks, just to mess with him. I also got him a new shaving kit with a nice aftershave in it.

And let's just say I went crazy for Edward, Alice, and Jasper. It was hard to be sneaky with Alice's stuff though. I had to creep off here and there. My trunk was certainly full.

Alice and Jasper's SUV was almost overloaded. Rosalie had all her things in the backseat while Alice's were in the trunk. One thing was for certain. I was so glad I didn't have to help them get those things into the house.

We watched as Jasper arrived first outside the restaurant through the glass front. He was riding a motorcycle that I had never seen before, bright and silver. Definitely a rice burner and not American made. He was in leather too, a full black helmet covering his face.

Alice was drooling.

"It's my brother." Rosalie frowned at her expression.

"Hot is hot." Alice shrugged. I gave her a small smile, hiding it as I took a sip of water.

Emmett arrived next in a big white truck. Bridget was staying with Jasper and Rosalie's parents. Right behind him was Edward in his well-loved black Camaro. Jasper shook out his hair as he placed the helmet on the back. Emmett clapped hands with him, talking brightly. Edward came out, saying something to the both of them and they all laughed.

It was fun just to watch them interact. And the three of us were too tired to do anything but watch our men be themselves.

"Ladies," Edward said charmingly as he came to sit beside me, pressing a kiss to my cheek. "Did we have much success?"

Emmett sat beside Rosalie, hugging his wife tightly as Jasper sank gracefully beside Alice. He whispered something in her ear and she giggled happily.

"We had a great time." I smiled at Edward. His eyes are practically glowing with happiness and God if I didn't feel it too...

I was _so_ tired but just so pleased with the world.

It was a very unique feeling.

Edward wrapped his arms around my shoulder, scooting in closer.

And you know, in the back of my head I knew I should have been a little jealous that the men were all well rested but I couldn't find it in myself to be. It was just too nice of a lunch to be like that.

"What are we going to get?" Emmett asked. "I say lots of cheese and meat."

"Not surprising," Jasper rolled his eyes. "We should get the thing for the group. You know the one with a sampler of everything."

"Oh, that sounds good!" Rosalie broke in.

When the waitress came Edward ordered a beer which I stole sips from while we talked with everyone about some of our purchases. It went on through the entire meal and it was just so fun.

"Do you want to come back to my place and nap with me?" I asked Edward as the couples disappeared, going to take a nap before we met at Alice's place around seven for a big dinner. Jasper was making fresh bread and cookies, Alice was going to get the wine. Rosalie was going to make some sort of potatoes while Emmett was going to grill out steaks. I offered to make some stuffed tomatoes, one of the few things I could cook. Edward was making some sort of roasted vegetable salad. We would be picking up all the stuff at the store before we went, making it at Alice's place.

"God, that sounds nice." He smiled. "I'll meet you there?"

Edward helped me drag all my bags upstairs, all twelve. But there were bags shoved inside of bags so he couldn't see Victoria secret or Fredericks of Hollywood ones.

"I see you had fun," he muttered as he placed them by the wall in my bedroom.

"I needed some new clothes. Mine are falling off and I can't wear yours all the time."

"Though, I don't mind if you wear them sometimes." He smiled at me suggestively. "Did you get everything you needed?"

"Well, I wanted to hit Tiffany's. But we kind of just ran out of steam. Maybe I'll hit there Cyber Monday, though I kind of doubt they're doing anything. I don't know."

"What the hell is Cyber Monday?"

"The day all the websites do their sales after Thanksgiving." I rolled my eyes at the male. _Boys know nothing, honestly. _

I shimmied out of my pants and tugged off my boots before crawling into bed. It was totally calling my name. Edward tugged off his own jeans, setting the alarm for five so we could get up in enough time. We would be in need of a shower before we went anywhere, I figured.

His arm wrapped around me comfortably as I curled into his body. He smelled so nice, still a little like sex and Thanksgiving. All sugar and sweet and just... _perfect._

I fell asleep in like two seconds. If that.

An almost five-hour nap was going to do me a lot of good. I think Edward, too.

The alarm clock went off far too soon. And sadly I woke up alone. I switched it off with a frown, pouting as I looked for Edward. Not a moment later he came in carrying a plate and a mug of something steaming.

_He is my hero. _

"Since you didn't have a healthy breakfast I decided to do something about that. Eggs for protein, wheat toast for fiber and energy, a banana to help with those sore muscles. Oh, and green tea for antioxidants. And aspirin."

"And how do you know I need aspirin?" I asked with a smile, the little white pills on the side of the plate.

"Because I needed them too," he whispered into my ear, making me shiver.

"Thank you," I breathed out, swallowing them quickly. "We should get more condoms tonight," I said, taking a big bite of toast. He smiled a little, a soft blush spreading across his cheeks.

"Already taken care of. I did some shopping myself."

"I hope it's a huge box."

"Let's just say I got it from Costco," he chuckled. "I'm glad we're thinking the same way. We should probably keep some here, some at my place, and maybe some in the car."

"Both of them. And in my purse too," I laughed, winking at him as I took a bite of eggs. They were great but of course, Edward made them so they had to be.

He laughed brightly, leaning over and giving me a little kiss.

After that I finished my breakfast quickly, drinking down my green tea. Apparently, Edward ate before I got up. "Um, would you like to take a shower with me?"

"Hot water sliding down your glorious naked body? Soap and suds clinging to your beautiful skin... No, why would I want to shower with you?" He asked cheekily in that accent. "It's nothing I haven't fantasized about before."

I laughed, straddling his waist so I could wrap my arms around his neck. "I'll make it worth your while. I'll give you a nice wash and polish."

"Oh, good god. And what are you going to polishing, baby?" He said, thrusting his hips up against my pantie covered ass.

"That is just something you'll have to wait and see."

"Fuck, the condoms are in the car," he muttered as I drag him towards my bathroom, making me laugh.

"I don't think you need a condom for a polishing." I fluttered my eyelashes at him innocently and he smiled broadly, lighting up his pale face.

"Yay," he said in a happy little voice, making me giggle again.

I was amazed we were not late to Alice's.

Let's just say that the shower was a smashing success.

Twice for me. Once for him.

To quote Alice's phrase from four in the morning: _Oh, my sex god._

Everyone was already there when we arrived. Alice was blasting music while everyone worked on their food in the kitchen. It was punk, which kind of surprised me. Most of them were covers of other songs.

Alice twirled around the kitchen, being an assistant since she couldn't cook. It didn't take me long to finish my stuffed tomatoes, putting them to the side to cook later on. Edward chuckled as Alice and I got down together, chopping his variety of veggies.

And we were totally singing with wooden spoons.

"_Hey yaaaaa_," we sang loudly. I liked this song normally and this version was a lot more fun. I did a little headbang, shaking my butt like I was a teenager again. Rosalie laughed, coming to get in the middle.

"Shake it, mama," Emmett shouted, hooting when Rosalie 'dropped it like it was hot'. His words, not mine.

"Do you notice something about this picture?" I asked Alice, looking around the kitchen.

"All the men are cooking?" Rosalie smiled wickedly. "Nice, isn't it?"

"I feel very used," Jasper pouted.

"You can feel used all you want. I don't mind making a good meal for my woman," Emmett cut in. "Especially when she's giving me a nice show to go along with it."

"Don't cut off your thumb," Edward said, raising an eyebrow with a smile. He winked in my direction, a small flush coming over his cheeks for some reason.

Jasper's phone started ringing. He just rolled his eyes, pulling it out without even looking at who was calling. "Yo."

"Yo?" I snickered.

"He's been spending too much time with Emmett." Alice frowned. "Do something about your man," she said, pointing at Rosalie.

"If I could, I would."

"That's great, T! Hell yeah, come join us for dinner. Rose and Em are over here. So are Ed and his girlfriend. Nah, sugar. We've just started cooking. By the time you get here, it should be all done. We'd love for you to join us." Jasper smiled widely. "See you in a bit, cuz."

"Tanya's coming?" Edward asked. Alice did a little squeal and Rosalie clapped.

"Who's Tanya?" I asked, confused.

"Our cousin," Rosalie answered for me. "She just moved from Alaska earlier this year and we've hardly been able to see her. She spent Thanksgiving with her mom, our aunt, yesterday. She must have just landed?"

"Yup," Jasper said with a smile. "And she's headed this way. Awesome."

Things were going in the oven while others were getting put on the grill. It was about thirty minutes later that there was a knock on the door. Jasper opened it and a cute girl stood there with a big smile.

"T!" He shouted, giving her a huge hug. She giggled loudly, her feet going off the floor as she did.

She was tall and a little gawky. And if she was over eighteen I would have eaten my shoe. Her blondish hair seemed almost pink around the edges, pulled up in pigtails. Her mouth was almost all metal, braces and a retainer. Light freckles dotted her nose. When she grew into herself, she would be really beautiful.

The fact that she was wearing a bright pink Hello Kitty shirt and a pair of purple jeans definitely helped her cuteness factor.

"Jay!" She squealed. "Boy, is it good to be back in town."

Next, she went to Alice, hugging her tightly before hugging Rosalie and Emmett. When she got to Edward she blushed brightly, her smile ultra wide with a shine in her big eyes.

"I don't get a hug?"

"Of course!" She practically threw herself into his open arms, hugging her tightly. "Eddie! It's been too long!"

I looked at Alice, a little confused by the whole scene being played out in front of me. She leaned in, whispering in my ear, "she stayed with us the summer her parents were getting a divorce. She was like eleven. It was the same time that Edward was living with us. They got close."

"That's so sweet." I smiled.

"You smell good," Edward laughed, sniffing her hair. "Like coconut and pineapples. You drank a Pina Colada on the way over here?"

"I WISH!" She huffed, plopping down a stool. "My mom makes me want to pull my hair out. Seriously, like does she have to be so like cranky? Aunt Lily is so relaxed. It must have passed her up."

"Want a soda?" Jasper offered. She nodded, smiling wistfully up at Edward. I think someone had a little crush and it was really cute.

"I think that's a mother's job." Edward patted her back gently. "Anyway, let me introduce you to someone special. This is my girlfriend, Bella."

"Hi!" She said, bouncing up to give me a tight hug. It surprised me but Edward just chuckled. Apparently, it was just her way. "So nice to meet you!"

We continued to talk until we got the food on the table. There were Edward's veggies in a light buttery dressing, my roasted stuffed tomatoes, Jasper's bread, and Em's steaks. Rosalie made a yummy looking salad while Emmett also made a delicious potato soup since his wife decided she wasn't in the mood to really cook after all. It wasn't exactly Thanksgiving style, but it would certainly do.

"Would you like half of my steak?" I asked Tanya as she started putting food on her plate. "I feel bad and I can't eat all this."

"Oh, no. Thanks. I'm a vegetarian."

"Oh, I'm sorry," I said, flushing as I looked at my food. Edward touched my knee and gave me a little smile.

"Oh, NO! You didn't upset my like political views or anything. I'm not _really_ vegetarian, it's just that the meat gets stuck in these things," she said, pointing to her braces. "I hate it. Sometimes I do eat meat, but I usually regret it later."

"I see," I laughed. I guess it made sense. "Just to let you know the soup has bacon in it."

She looked at her bowl for a moment, wrinkling her nose a little like she was thinking. "Totally worth it," she said, taking a big spoonful.

Alice brought some white wine to the table, pouring each of us a glass. She came to Tanya and poured her a small one. "Just one for you, little one. And you better not tell your parents."

"I won't," she said, quickly snatching up her glass and taking a big drink. The face she made was priceless. "_Ew_."

"Pass it this way," Edward said, waving his hand at Tanya. She handed it to him with a sour face, chugging down some soda to get the taste out of her mouth. He laughed, pouring the liquid into his own cup. "So, how did you end back up in Texas?" He asked her. "I thought your mom said 'over her dead body.'"

Tanya giggled at a private little joke before smiling wickedly. "Jay didn't tell you? Well, over the summer I got two jobs. I worked my ass off, like eighty hours a week, to pay for a lawyer. I went to the court and asked to move in with my dad since they have 'shared' custody. I gave all these facts about how Texas would be better for me."

"How did your mom take that?" Emmett asked.

"She like blew her lid," Tanya snickered. "Totally worth it. I hate Alaska. Anyway, I showed them how the school I'd be going to was better and how I would have more opportunities, cultural and stuff. The judge was so impressed that he agreed and then he made both of my parents pay my lawyer's fees because he said that they should have 'worked it out amongst themselves' and shouldn't have been so damn stubborn. The judge said I should go into law school."

"So, you worked for nothing?" I asked with a frown. What an awful way to spend a summer.

"No, not for nothing," she said, taking a big bite of tomato. She was already on her second one. "I've got like twenty thousand for a kick-ass senior trip. And this is good! Who made this?"

"Bella," Edward smiled, wrapping his arm around my back. He leaned in and gave me a big kiss on the cheek.

"You have to give me the recipe! My dad can't cook and I could eat these all day."

Tanya and I talked about recipes for a good twenty minutes, finishing up our meal. Jasper brought a beautiful two layered chocolate cake. Apparently, Alice had distracted him from making cookies earlier and he just had this on hand, he informed us with a blush. I couldn't imagine how she distracted him...

After dinner, we drove Tanya back to her dad's place because she took a cab. She made fun of Edward's Camaro the entire time.

"Seriously, Eddie, could you be any more male? This is such a guy car."

"Leave my baby alone. I take good care to her. She gets me there. And she looks good doing it."

"Ahuh," she rolled her eyes. "Do you have a car, Bella?"

"I have a Ford Hybrid." I shrugged. "I like it."

"I'm thinking about getting another job and working towards getting a car, so I don't have to dip into my savings. Is that a pretty good car? I really want a hybrid."

That got us into another twenty-minute discussion. Edward was hardly even able to put in two words between us. On our way home, he looked at me with a playful expression on his face.

"I feel so left out. Everyone likes you better."

"Well, I like you better." I smiled at him, pressing a kiss to his cheek at a stop light. "So, my place or yours?"

"Um, I actually have to work tomorrow. Early too and pretty much all day. Why don't we go to your place for a little while?"

I frowned. Honestly, I didn't want to be without him but I knew he had to work. "Okay," I pouted.

"I'll make sure you're good and tucked in before I go," he promised in a soft voice.

We were curled up on my couch about thirty minutes later, his arms around me. I just wanted him to hold me. It would be the first day in almost a week that I wasn't with him most of the day. I didn't like it. Burying my face in his neck, he rubbed my back sweetly.

"Will you come over tomorrow?" I asked him in a soft voice. "After you work?"

"It'll be really late. I've got a full day. You'll probably be asleep."

I tugged out of his arms gently, going to the drawer in my kitchen. I fished until I found the silver little piece of metal that I wanted. I came back and placed it in his palm. "I don't care if I am. I just want to see you at least a little while tomorrow... I mean, if you want to."

"Are you sure?" He asked in surprise, looking at the key.

"Completely. Just head on over. I don't care what time. Maybe you can stay the night? If you don't have to work too early on Sunday?"

"I don't until eleven. Yeah, I'd like that," he breathed, pressing a kiss to my forehead. I yawned softly, putting my fingers underneath his shirt to keep them warm. "Come on, baby girl. You're tired. Let's get you into bed."

I shook my head, burying it deeper into his neck. "No, I don't want to. I'm fine."

"You're lying. You've had a few busy days. Come on, I'll put you to bed."

"Edward," I whimpered against his neck and he chuckled softly as my arms went around him tighter.

"Hold on, baby."

And like that, I was just in his arms, one of them underneath my knees and the other around my back. I squealed, my arms going around his neck tightly.

"Don't drop me!"

"Jeez, you're light. Honestly, you're fine. But don't squirm or I will."

He carried me to my bedroom, placing me on the bed. He knelt in front of me, taking off my shoes and socks before making me stand. His long beautiful fingers worked off my jeans and tee shirt, leaving me in my bra and panties.

"Where are your pajamas?" He asked in a soft voice, rubbing his hands over my hips gently. I pointed to the third drawer on my dresser and he just smiled at me, going to fetch me one of the purple satin nightgowns that I just loved. He tossed it onto the bed. "Now, how does this one open?" Edward asked, running his fingers over the cup of my bra. I took in a sharp breath, unable to think.

"Back," I finally answered and he slowly turned me around to work the clasp. It popped open and he brought his hands to my front, slowly dragging them over my skin. His deft fingers worked underneath the cup, helping the fabric to fall to the floor. His strong hands massaged my breasts for a long moment, making my nipples extremely hard and me very _very_ hot and bothered. "Edward," I moaned loudly, leaning my head against his shoulder.

Sadly he stopped, turning me back around. "Put your arms up."

I did as he asked and he slipped the nightgown down my body. His mouth was on mine a second later, rubbing my back gently before laying me back on the bed. He hovered over me, his hands exploring my face.

"Join me," I whispered, panting softly. Edward just shook his head, a sad smile on his face. "Please?"

"No, love. I need to go," he frowned with a sigh. Standing up, he adjusted the blankets over me so I was almost completely covered. He leaned down, rubbing his fingers over my cheek before giving me a breathtaking kiss. "I will be over here tomorrow and I will sleep with you then."

"Okay," I pouted, my bottom lip jutting out. He smiled at me wickedly, leaning down quickly to capture it. Sucking on it for a long moment, my fingers weaved into his hair. "Tomorrow can't come soon enough."

"No, it can't," he agreed. "Now, get some sleep. Sweet dreams, my love."

**This is my favorite Tanya that I've written. **

**Reviews are motivation! Please send lots! **

**Thanks for reading! **


	18. Chapter 18

**When I see it**

I slept okay. Not as good as I would have if Edward had been in bed with me. It was nice that he tucked me in though.

I still woke up at the crack of dawn. After fighting with my pillows for almost an hour I got up at five to just get ready for my day. I didn't honestly feel like working so I decided to go to the gym for an hour before finally giving up and coming home to do my actual job.

It was around eleven when Alice called me and I answered the phone, grateful for the distraction.

"Ello?" I said, using Edward's greeting.

"Hey, baby! Want to cross something off your list?"

"Depends on what it is," I said, shutting down my computer.

"I want to go to the spa. Wanna come?"

"What are you getting done?" I asked, flopping down on my couch. I knew I would end up there with her, probably having a late lunch covered in mud.

"Facial, nails, hair, and a wax."

Okay, so there was no mud. And I could probably use an eyebrow waxing. And an upper lip waxing. It was one of those unpleasant women things you just had to do some times. And the rest of those didn't sound half bad.

"Sure. That would be cool."

"Awesome! I'll be over there in a few. I already made the appointments for us, just in case," she giggled happily.

"You knew I'd give in," I said sarcastically.

"Come on! We need a spa day after walking around all day yesterday. Doesn't it sound relaxing?" She asked and I could hear the roar of her engine as she started it. I probably needed to get myself into gear so I would be dressed when she got there.

"Yeah, it does. I've got to get dressed. I'll see you in ten."

The place we went to was extremely fancy and I had never heard of it before. But they sure seemed to know Alice already. They greeted her warmly, ushering us into the back to get undressed and into our robes.

Apparently, we were going to get a massage first.

I was for sure down for that. Especially since we were having mimosa as we waited for our massage therapists.

"To black Friday," Alice said, clinking her glass to mine. I smiled at her, drinking it down quickly.

"Here's to good men."

"Here! Here!" She giggled, drinking quickly too. A hunky waiter brought us another round and I could tell already that this spa trip would end up with us taking a taxi cab home.

Yet another thing I was down for.

The massage was great. I thought I was going to melt into the table. The girl's hands were like magic. Alice had a very handsome African man with a French accent massaging her back and I thought she was going to start purring. Especially whenever he'd say '_relax, Mrs. Whitlock_' in that accent. I told her she was bad and she said that I wasn't the only one that enjoyed a good accent.

She had a point there.

After that, we received a facial while they did our nails and toes. I never had a pedicure before and it felt great. It wasn't as odd as I thought it was going to be. I was prepared to be weirded out by the whole experience. By the end of it, I decided that it was something I wanted to do again, and often.

After that, it was time for waxing. Alice and I weren't going to be in the same room for that which I didn't understand until the woman told me to take off my robe.

"Excuse me?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Please remove your robe and we'll cover you with a sheet," she said, taking a huffing breath in annoyance.

"What exactly is getting waxed?"

"Everything. That's what the appointment says. Legs, eyebrows, upper lip, and a Brazilian."

Oh, I was going to kill Alice. _But then again..._ I did have those new crotchless panties. That could be something really nice for Edward, especially after such a long day. And it certainly gave me something to look forward to. I thought about it only a second more before I dropped my robe and wrapped in a sheet.

The facial ones were first. They were just as I expected and I had done it before so it wasn't really much of a shock. It was actually kind of a nice sting, especially above my eyelids.

My legs were a different story. That took some getting used too, especially right behind my knee. There and thighs have a lot of sensitive skin. I bit my lip, taking in deep breaths as I looked up at the ceiling.

The 'calming' music didn't do shit for me once she started doing the Brazilian. If I didn't think it would look like I had some sort of strange half Mohawk down there I would have told her to stop right away.

I was so going to hit Alice and Edward better damn well love it.

"Great! We're all done!" The woman said. I came to the conclusion that she was a sadist. It was obvious that she derived joy from inflicting such awful pain on me.

It wasn't a job I could do.

Alice was lounging on a chaise when I came back in, another mimosa in her hand. "Feeling all clean?"

"I think she ripped my lady parts off," I said, rubbing my legs together and plopping down heavily beside her. I snatched her drink away, finishing it off in one big gulp.

"You get used to it." She shrugged.

"Like hell, I will," I snorted. "I'm going natural from now on. Jesus, it's like things are tingling in an unhappy way. I think it's angry."

Alice kept a straight face for all of ten seconds before she laughed loudly, throwing her head back. "Only your bits could be angry. Honestly, it does get better! Rub some lotion on there or better yet, have Edward do it."

"I'm going to have to," I pouted.

Alice smiled as she decided to change the subject. "We should get the stylist to curl your hair. It would look cute with ringlets. I know Edward would like it."

"You think?"

"Oh yeah, he loves curly hair. If you did ringlets, pretty panties, and bare... Well, I think he'd lose his damn mind."

Oh, yes. Ringlets would do.

So, after a quick shower in the wonderfully scented waters of the spa, we each went to get our hair done. Alice didn't have to do much to hers since it was so short and spiky. They did a little trim and used some gel, but that was about it. It almost made me want to cut my own hair that short. Almost.

They barely got done trimming mine by the time hers was finished. So Alice sat beside me with another drink and chatted with the stylist, who was a woman with perfect red hair, about art.

I had to stay out of the conversation.

"So, what are we going to do after this?" Alice finally asked as the woman started putting the curls into my hair. It was going to take a while at this rate.

"Food. Most definitely food. I'm starving, woman. Let's do Mexican or something."

"Mm, nachos..." Alice said, her words drifting off as she thought about the possibility. That simple phrase proved to me that she truly was a bit a stoner.

I loved her for it, I think.

I ended up driving to the Mexican place we were going to. Alice had a few too many drinks on an empty stomach and I will say one thing, I never want to drive her car again. No way in hell. I felt like a tiny little bug next to the four semi trucks that for some reason wanted to surround me.

By the time we arrived, I needed tequila. I resisted the urge though.

"Um, I wanted to talk to you about something," Alice began, picking her fingernails in an attempt to not look at me. I wasn't going to call her out on it because I knew how it felt, but it wasn't like Alice to be that way.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for being so awesome around Rosalie." She gave a little sigh. "She doesn't have a lot of friends nor does she have a lot of fun. It was nice to see my sister in law not being angry," she explained quietly, ordering water when the waiter came to the table. "I don't know if you know what happened but-"

I put my hand up quickly. No woman really enjoys talking about rape and I wasn't going to put her through that when it was so unneeded. "Yeah, Edward explained. I don't know why everyone feels the urge to thank me."

"Because normally she's just a bitch. Even to me and Jasper sometimes. It's only really Emmett and Bridget that can make her smile usually but she seemed a lot happier yesterday than I've seen her in ages. She was seriously talking about her own list. I think it gives her a sense of purpose that she's been lacking."

"She's a mother-"

"Yes, she is and you'd think that would be enough, but Emmett is the stay at home dad. Bridge runs to him when she has a booboo, not Rosalie. She's doing the job she always wanted to do, so she's kind of felt locked into place for a while," Alice sighed, taking a bite of a chip.

"What does she do exactly?" I asked, pouring us each some salsa.

"She works with the tourism board in Dallas. What she does is try to get bands and such to play in this area. She gets them all setup and arranges times. Things like that, I think," she giggled, "I'm not entirely sure. I just know she gets a lot of concert tickets."

"That's a cool job," I said, frowning at how much of a dork I was. I loved my business though and I wouldn't have changed anything for the world.

After that, the conversation changed into more normal territory. We both ordered fajitas nachos, Alice chicken and I had beef. They were decent, not the best food I had ever had but certainly not the worst.

After lunch, I went home to get some more work done. I had a lot of work to do on the Crowley account. And honestly the more I thought about her, the more I wanted to punch that Lauren in the face. If she didn't send so much money my way...

Sometimes it's so hard to be a responsible adult.

At around nine I decided to start getting ready for Edward. I wasn't exactly sure when he would be coming around, but I wanted to be ready once he did get here. First I freshened up, washing my face and adding a new layer of deodorant. Next, I put on a good layer of lotion all over. And I do mean all over.

After making sure my ringlets were still just so, I put on a thin layer of makeup with sweet tasting lip gloss on top of that.

The next thing I needed to do was pick out the panties I wanted to wear. The idea of the crotchless just made me blush but I knew this would be the best time to wear them.

I wasn't sure what I wanted to wear besides that though. Finally, after thirty minutes, I decided nothing else but those red shoes he had so much trouble resisting.

I smiled at myself in the mirror, a little proud of myself at being so naughty for once. I never did this for Jacob.

I put on a robe, so I wouldn't get chilly and started lighting a few candles in my room. Not a ton, just three or four, to give it a soft light and a pleasant smell of lavender.

When I finished all of that, it was just ten at night.

Now that all my little jobs were done, I didn't know what to do with myself.

Finally, I decided to just sit on my bed and read.

It was eleven thirty when I heard the key in my lock. I did a little squeal of joy, flinging my book to the side and tearing off my robe. I quickly stood, looking at myself in the mirror that hung over my dresser to make sure my lip gloss was still good. Clearing my throat, I squared my shoulders in an effort to be braver than I actually was.

"Bella?" I heard Edward say in a soft voice. "Are you awake, love?"

"Yes," I called back, taking a deep breath.

"It's late, I thought you'd be asleep by now," he said, his voice getting closer. "I hope you didn't wait up for me."

_Of course, I waited up for you,_ my brain said loudly. I couldn't have slept if I tried.

I cleared my throat again and began to walk to the door. "Well, you see, I'm having a problem."

"What's that?"

I walked into the doorway, Edward about five feet away. His jaw dropped and his eyes grew wide. "I got these new panties but I'm not sure if they're me. What do you think?"

I cocked my hip against the door, twisting one of the locks that hung by my bare breasts around my finger.

"Holy, fuck," he said in a deep voice. A shiver ran down my spine as a smug smile pulled at my lips.

He looked so good. His blue suit made a reappearance, a thin black tie around his neck. It was loosened slightly, the top button undone. He threw his keys onto a side table, running a hand through his hair.

"Do you not like them?" I doubted it.

"I adore them," he all but growled.

Oh, it was going to be such a fun night.

I stood straight, stretching my arms above my head and smiling at him wickedly. "I'm glad you like them. You did say you wanted to help me with my list."

"That I did," he said, coming closer to me slowly. He looked like he was on the hunt. And I was his prey. "But, I think I'll need to inspect them a bit closer to make sure they meet my criteria for _fancy_ knickers."

"Inspect away," I teased him as he came about a foot away from me. I thought he was going to kiss me, but no, he had other things in mind.

Edward dropped to his knees in front of me, his hands worshipfully going over the frilly material. He moved them from my hips before snaking around to my ass, gripping it tightly. I moaned softly, hanging onto the doorway to keep from falling.

And then he brought my leg over his shoulder.

"Fuck, crotchless..." he whimpered, his voice breathy.

Before I could say anything his mouth was on me, licking to all the places he could reach. I moaned loudly, one hand going to the back of his head as I continued to hang on for dear life.

"Edward!" I shrieked as it became too much, my legs shaking with the force of the powerful orgasm he gave me with his very talented English tongue. His hands gently went to my hips as he straightened me. Finally, he stood again, his mouth coming to mine quickly. With needy hands he pulled me closer to him, our lips smashing together as I worked off his tie.

"How would you like to have a little fun?" Edward whispered in my ear as the tie finally came loose. He was going to make me come undone again if he kept talking like that.

Instead of giving an answer I just nodded, kissing him again. I could never get enough of his taste.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Anything you want," I assured him, my lips traveling down his neck.

"You'll have to trust me and do as I say."

Bella Jello made a reappearance at his strong and mysterious words.

"I trust you."

He moved us back towards the bed, kissing me again as his hands kneaded my ass through my panties. When my knees hit the bed he stopped, turning me around slowly.

"You are so fucking sexy," he moaned into my ear, his hands coming to my front to play with my breasts. They arched of their own accord into his palms, wanting his attention. He didn't disappoint either. "What are you trying to do to me in this _outfit_? Fuck, I almost lost my mind when I saw you in that doorway."

His teeth dragged against my shoulder as he pulled his hands away from my chest but I could feel them brush against my back as he pulled his tie out of his collar. "You trust me?" He asked again.

"Yes."

"Close your eyes," he whispered into my ear before kissing it lightly.

He brought his tie to my eyes, wrapping it around twice tightly before tying it in the back. "Tell me to stop and I will," he said into my ear, "but until then, I'm going to play with you."

"Yes," I whimpered, though I wasn't sure what I was saying yes to. I would have done anything he wanted right then.

"Put your hands on the bed and bend over."

I did as he asked, bending over the bed. I could feel the rush of cool air over my moist skin as I did. After I heard something drop to the floor, I felt Edward's fingers against me.

"That is so beautiful. And you are so smooth. Did you do this for me?"

"Yes," I said softly.

Instead of saying anything I felt his tongue swipe along me. I yipped in surprised, my legs spreading a little wider so I wouldn't lose my balance.

I heard rustling behind me before I felt his fingers on my ankles. "And these damn red shoes. I told you what they did to me the other day. So naughty."

I shook my ass in his general direction with a giggle, only to earn on a swat on the backside.

Hell _yes_.

"Stay still," he said, speaking against my thigh before taking a deep bite of it. I moaned loudly, bucking backward at his touch. His tongue moved over the bite and up between my legs, first over fabric and then over my skin.

Suddenly his fingers were shoving into me as his other hand grabbed my hair. I wasn't sure how he did it, but I wasn't going to question his methods. He could do whatever he wanted right then.

"I want to feel you cum on my fingers," he said, kissing down the center of my back before rolling his tongue up it. "Think I can make you cum around them? I really want to feel the way you clench around them. I want to feel you make a mess all over my fingers."

I groaned, bucking backward again. "_Yes._"

"I like the way you say that word. I'm going to make you say it a lot more in the next few minutes," he said cockily. Though I wasn't sure if it was cocky when it was the damn truth.

He owned my body and he could make it do whatever he wanted.

Edward curled his fingers inside of me, messaging them in and out slowly but with quite a bit of force. Over and over again he hit a spot deep inside of me that made my thighs shake and my body arch backward to meet his touch. My mouth hung open as I panted in pleasure, already sensitive from before.

"Cum for me, sweetheart," he said, gently rubbing my fabric covered ass. "That's it. Let go. Let me feel you."

"Shit! Yes! Oh, GOD!" I screamed. The only thing keeping me from collapsing on the floor was Edward's fingers which were still inside of me. I could feel myself tighten around him, milking them. He hummed in pleasure, leaning down to kiss the center of my back.

"Was that good?"

"Very," I whimpered but then I heard him tsking me softly.

"You've made a mess of your panties. I think they'll have to come off and I think I know exactly what I want to do with them."

He began to pull the cloth down my thighs, sinking to his knees again to lick my lips lightly as he brought each heel covered foot out. I jumped, shock waves running down my calves.

"Can you take more?" He asked softly but seriously.

"Yes, please," I moaned. "More."

"Oh god," I heard him say before I heard more rustling. I could only hope he was getting undressed. After a couple of moments, he gave me another order. "On your knees on the bed, face on the mattress, and put your hands behind your back."

It took some maneuvering but I did it. He took my wrists, pulling them together gently. After a minute I realized what he was doing. He was tying my hands up with my own panties.

Oh. Fuck. Me.

After the ripping of plastic, I felt Edward rubbing himself against my too wet and too hot center. He moaned softly, his other hand coming to rest on my back. "This is a fantasy come true, Bella. You are so sexy. I want to fuck you. Can I fuck you, Bella? Hard and fast."

"Yes."

"Tell me, please, I want to hear it from your lips," he ordered, rubbing the head against my opening. It would have taken him in so easily, a small push and he would be spreading me wide in a way only he could.

"Fuck me, Edward. Fuck me as hard and as fast as you want. I want you inside of me, please," I whimpered, my breasts brushing against the mattress. It was almost as if it was teasing me as well, with each brush my nipples growing impossibly harder.

Then he slammed into me, both of us yelling in relief. I felt so full, my stomach was so heavy with the pleasure of being taken this way. It wouldn't be long until I lost it again and I hoped to God that Edward joined me in the pleasant fall.

His strong fingers gripped my hips hard, digging into my flesh as he took me over and over again. Goosebumps rose on my skin as my toes curled. One of my heels fell off with the force of his movement, skin slapping against skin in the best way possible.

"Yes!" I screamed his pace picked up. I turned my face into the mattress, the sounds of my moans muffled in the air, mixing with his groans of pleasure.

"Please, fucking cum," he began to beg. "I'm almost there. Cum on my cock."

Those words in that accent? My body automatically gave him what he wanted.

"Shit!" He yelled, falling forward against my back. We stood still for a long moment, just catching our breath. Slowly Edward began to move, kissing my back and then my wrists as he removed them from their confines. Then he pulled himself out of me, throwing the condom away quickly. I rolled onto my back, kicking off my other heel and pushing his tie away from my eyes. Edward laid across the bed with me, naked and spent but with a huge smile on his face. "Hi."

"Hello," I giggled, rolling into him. He held me tightly, kissing the top of my hair lightly. "Wow."

"Very wow," he added, chuckling into my hair. "My god, that was intense."

"Do you remember when I said that I'd know kinky when I saw it?" I said, tracing a finger over his chest lightly.

"Yes?"

"I think I saw it."

Edward grinned wickedly. "Oh, baby. You ain't seen nothing yet."

**I realize things about the spa scene aren't exactly how it happens, but it's fiction lol so, close enough. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Black eyes and Beer**

The week passed much the same way with either Edward or I sleeping at the other's place, having a lot of sex and just... hanging out. We didn't want to go anywhere. We liked the little bubble that we created for ourselves.

That's not to say that neither of us worked. We did. I worked out and apparently, Edward jogged which is how he kept in shape. I also started my self-defense courses.

All was going fine until the third class.

Frankly, it was a little hard to take Aro seriously with his lisp. I kept imagining him in his dress from Halloween.

"Now, what we are going to do," Aro began, walking around with a very serious expression on his face. "Is practicing punching. We have shown you the basics of how to get away already. But sometimes that is not enough. Each of you will be taking a punching bag and I'd like you to hit it fifty times. Just like I showed you, ladies."

I was about twenty hits in when my hands began to ache, but it wasn't too bad. The woman beside me grumbled about it being too much and that she got the damn idea. It just made me snicker. I didn't mind doing it.

I was just considering maybe enrolling into a martial arts class when the grumbling woman did an amazing thing. She punched far too hard and tripped over her own feet. And then into me. I was in the process of punching when she came tumbling into me and when she did, she threw my fist right back towards me.

And right into my eye.

I landed on the floor and the throbbing pain on the right side of my face began instantly.

"Oh, shit," I whined, laying on the floor. There was six of everything and I was pretty sure that wasn't supposed to be like that. At all. And I didn't like it either.

"Bella!" Aro shouted in the background. The cranky old woman who fell into me had already gotten up and was still complaining about the punching. She didn't even apologize. I would have punched her if I could figure out which of the three I saw was the real one. I wasn't even sure she knew the damage she had caused.

"Ow," I muttered, rubbing my forehead.

"Is she conscious?" Someone asked around me. I would have rolled my eyes if it didn't hurt so much.

"Yes, she is," I said, trying to sit up but someone pushed me back down.

"You might have hurt yourself. I must insist you lay back," Aro said, rubbing my shoulder. "Someone go get the gym's nurse. We need her right away."

"I'm just fine," I said, trying to sit up again. Aro was having none of it though. Maybe I could punch him instead. There was only two of him in my line of vision, so I had a one in two shot of actually getting him.

"Class, why don't we go ahead and dismiss for the day? I'll see everyone on Thursday," Aro said loudly, waving his hands about to shoo off all the women that were hovering over me. I wasn't sure what they were looking at anyway. It wasn't like I was doing tricks or anything.

"How are you feeling, my dear?" The man said as he took my hand, squeezing it tightly.

"I'm annoyed," I blurted out and he smirked slightly. "I think I can sit up."

He shrugged his shoulders, pulling me up into a sitting position. When I did my head swirled in pain but it wasn't horrible. I had concussions before and this wasn't one. It was just a headache. I looked at Aro and he frowned deeply. "Oh, _my_."

"What?"

"Your eye is swelling and beginning to turn colors. You must have hit yourself hard."

"I've just got a bit of a headache now and I'll bet I'll have a bruise, but I think I'm fine. May I go?" I asked in frustration, feeling like I was in high school again. I was an adult and I should have been able to do whatever I wanted but it didn't seem to matter at the moment.

"No, I must have the nurse check you out first. We have to file a report."

"The woman who fell into me doesn't have to fill in a report," I complained like a child since I was going to be treated like one.

"She just fell. She didn't injure herself. You have visible bruising and we may need to take you to the hospital," he explained.

"I don't need to go to the hospital," I stated, crossing my arms and puffing loudly.

A pretty brunette in white scrubs came in all in a huff. "What happened, Aro?" She asked quickly, kneeling down beside me. She was acting like I had blood gushing from my head. Which I didn't.

After thirty minutes of examining and report filling out, they determined that I would be fine. I would just have a black eye.

A nasty one, at that.

Self-defense wasn't for me either, apparently. Or maybe it was Aro. He was just cursed.

When I got to my car I frowned as I looked into the rearview mirror. My eye wasn't completely swollen shut yet but it would be soon. I looked at the clock and sighed loudly. Edward was supposed to be at a wedding until almost nine that night and it was only eight. I decided to text him so that he could call me later.

_I've gotten myself a black eye. Going home to lick my wounds. Call me later, please?_

Thirty seconds later the phone rang. "What the bloody _fuck_ do you mean you've gotten yourself a black eye?" He asked in a heavy accented rush.

"Just that," I said with a sigh. "There was this cranky old woman in the self-defense class and she fell and made me punch myself."

"You _punched_ yourself?"

"Yes."

"In the face?" He asked as if he was shocked by the whole thing. It was me after all. No one should have been surprised.

"Yes," I sighed again in frustration. I was sighing a lot. "I'm sorry that I pulled you from the wedding. I should let you go back to work."

"No, no," he said quickly. "The wedding was... cut short. The ex-girlfriend showed up and the bridesmaids stomped the hell out of her. I'm at the grocery store right now. I was going to surprise you."

"Oh," I said in a soft giggle. "Is that the first time something like that has happened?"

"Not hardly," he snorted. "Look, I'm nearly done. Why don't you head over to my place and I'll try to make it at least a little better."

"You're going to need a lot of liquor to accomplish that," I muttered almost to myself. He chuckled, hearing me.

"I think I can do that. I'll be done in like ten minutes. I'll see you there?"

"I'll see you there," I said quietly.

All I wanted at the moment was to curl up in his arms and go to sleep. It had been officially one of the worst days ever.

Though I suppose anyone that punched themselves in the face was having a bad day.

I took me about fifteen minutes to get over to Edward's apartment but he hadn't arrived yet. I laid back in my seat, listening to music as I tried to make my headache go away. It so wasn't working.

My phone began to buzz again and I groaned in frustration, "ello?"

"Hey, baby girl! How are you?" My mother asked brightly.

Because she was exactly what I needed for my headache. "Fine, Mom," I lied, not wanting to explain the whole thing to her. "How are you?"

"Good!" She said happily. "What are you up to in a couple of weeks?"

"Working, working out. That sort of thing. Why?" I said suspiciously. I already didn't like where this was going.

"Well, Phil and I were going to go to Australia over the Christmas holiday so we decided to visit you for a couple of days since we won't be around. Have an early Christmas. How does that sound?" She asked. She was genuinely excited about this. I smiled slightly.

Though my mother annoyed the shit out of me sometimes, she was still my mother and I hadn't seen her in ages. "Yeah, that sounds great, Mom."

Edward pulled up beside me and he instantly frowned as he peered into my car. I gave him a smile and pointed to the phone. He nodded, showing that he understood and went to get things out of his trunk.

"So, we're thinking the fourteenth and fifteenth. That good?"

"Sure, Mom. That would be great. Look, my boyfriend just drove up and I need to help him get some groceries inside."

"Boyfriend? Since when did you get a boyfriend? Is it that boy that you were having troubles with around Halloween?"

"Mom!" I shouted, laughing. "Honestly... privacy. Do you know what that is? Listen, I really need to go and help him. I'll talk to you later."

"Fine! But this conversation isn't done."

"I figured," I smirked. "Bye, Renee."

The first thing out of Edward's mouth when he laid eyes on me was, "oh, my god! Are you alright?"

He put his hands on my cheeks, examining my face with care. I smiled slightly, turning to kiss his palm. "I'm better now that I'm with you."

He frowned, not like my answer for some reason. I just leaned up and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Let's get you inside," he said finally, shooing me away from the trunk before I could grab something.

"I can carry something," I complained.

"I've got it. Go sit down on the couch and I'll bring the rest up. Have you eaten anything yet?" He asked, putting a few cloth shopping bags filled with stuff on his dining room table.

"No, not yet. I was going to eat after class," I informed him.

"Good," he smiled. "I'll be right back. I've got a surprise for you."

He came back inside, kicking the door shut quickly with his foot. I came over to him to help him take everything to the fridge and I was a little surprised when he didn't shoo me away this time. Instead, he began to set up bottles all in a little row.

"What's this?"

"Ten beers from ten different countries. It's on your list. I decided since I was going to get out so early that I could surprise you. I got everything to make burgers for dinner as well."

"Oh! Edward..." I threw my arms around his neck. "This is awesome."

"You like?"

"I love," I corrected him, kissing his cheek. "I'll put these in the fridge."

"I'll get those. There are a couple that is supposed to be served warm."

I wrinkled my nose but shrugged. "Is there anything I can do?" I asked him.

"Go sit on the couch and I'll bring you an ice pack for your eye. Do you want some aspirin?"

I went to plop down on his couch because I didn't feel like arguing with him on this point. My head was hurting anyway. "Yes, please."

He came back a few minutes later with a small bag of ice wrapped in a towel with some aspirin and a huge glass of water. I drank the pill down before laying back on his couch and putting the bag on my eye. He pouted a little bit as he looked at my bruised face before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to my lips.

"I wish I could make this better."

"You are making it better."

He kissed my forehead softly. "I'm going to start dinner. You relax. We'll start the beer tasting right after, sound good?"

"Why do I feel like I'm going to get really drunk?" I laughed and he chuckled.

"It's a tasting. You're not supposed to drink all of it."

"Not _suppose_ to," I muttered. "We'll see."

About thirty minutes later a meal of cheeseburgers, with cheese in the center of patty at that, on honey wheat buns with homemade ketchup and mayo, came to the table. When Edward told me that he made most of his own stuff, he wasn't kidding. He also made a spinach salad with pecans and strawberries with a sweet vinaigrette.

God Bless a man that can cook.

"This is so good," I moaned. You would have thought I had said something dirty the way Edward was blushing, smiling slightly.

"Eat up," he said, "you're going to need some stuff in your stomach to keep from getting completely sloshed."

"What if I want to get sloshed?" I pouted slightly, making him chuckle.

"Behave and eat."

We had beer from England, Jamaica, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, China, and India.

"Oh, my god!" I frowned, trying not to spit out the beer from Jamaica. "This is revolting."

Edward laughed, his face a little flushed. We had five bottles between us so far and it would appear that Edward was a little bit of a lightweight. I liked that, a lot.

"I tried to warn you," he snickered. "But oh _no_, it can't be THAT bad."

"I believe you now!" I made a little face, pushing the beer away from me. "What now?"

"Real beer."

"I thought we were drinking _real_ beer." I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, better beer then," he chuckled, sliding the warm English beer towards me. I raised an eyebrow in his direction. "Try it."

"You try it," I said, almost like a child.

"I love this stuff," he laughed, taking a bit swig before passing it to me. "See? No harm done. Try it."

And much to my surprise, it was really good. He was a little bit too smug about that.

By the end of the night, we had shared six bottles together. Edward had the Canadian beer all on his own and I liked the one from India where he did not. The other two, the Jamaican and the Italian were not good. At all.

Overall, my favorite was the Swiss one. Edward's was the English, go figure.

"They had a whole section of beer," Edward explained to me, leaning back on the couch, his arm draped over my shoulder. "It was kind of hard to pick. I could have probably gotten ten more."

"Maybe another time," I said, snuggling into his side. We were quiet for a long time and I almost thought he had fallen asleep when I felt him stiffen slightly.

"Bella, can I talk to you about something?"

"Something wrong?" I asked, looking up at me with a slight frown. He went from extremely relaxed to very nervous very quickly.

"I hope not. Um, I wanted to ask you something."

"Go ahead."

"Well, my parents are coming into town for Christmas and I'm going back with them for New Years. Normally I work, but they made a big deal of me visiting. And, well, I was wondering if you'd like to come to London with me? I've already talked to my parents about it and they'd love for you to come and visit with us, especially when I told them that you've always wanted to go to London and-" he rambled on and on. I put my hand on his mouth.

"Are you asking me to go to Europe with you?" He nodded, my fingers still against his mouth. "Really?"

He kissed the pads of my fingers finally, nodding. "Please?"

"I'd love to."

"Really?! Awesome! Great, good," he said, looking nervous again.

"Is there more?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I already bought your ticket so we could be on the same flight beside each other. I didn't want to take the chance that we wouldn't be. And they're totally refundable so if you don't want to go, it's really fine and I thought I would ask once you were all liquored up so-"

I laughed, covering his mouth again. "That's very sweet, Edward. And thoughtful. I'll pay you back."

He shook his head, making me frown. "Part of your Christmas present."

"Edward, you can't afford that!" I said. As soon as the words fell out of my mouth I regretted them. His eyes turned dark and his mouth turned into a deep scowl, something I had never seen on him before.

"I do realize that my line of work isn't as big of a money maker as yours, but I am not poor. I can more than afford this. I could live in a nicer place if I chose. I've just been trying to save money for the future. For a house. For a family. Just for... _everything_."

"I didn't mean it like that," I sighed, hating that I had obviously hurt his feelings. "I'm just so used to taking care of myself. I'm not used to someone else taking care of me."

"You'll just have to get used to it," he said, pulling my chin up to look into his fluid green eyes. They swirled with emotion, a torrent behind them. "I plan on spoiling you in every possible way. Now, say yes. Say you'll go to London with me."

"I'll go to London with you," I said, wrapping my fingers around his neck before pulling him down into a kiss.

Before our lips touched he spoke softly, "and the ticket is part of your Christmas gift from me. No more arguments about it."

I laughed, "fine. But I will find my own special way of paying you back."

"I have no doubt," he whispered before kissing me deeply. It was not long after that he took me to bed, making love to me even though I had a black eye. Maybe it was because of it. He was gentle and loving and I couldn't have asked for more. It was a great way to keep my mind off the pain.

The next morning I went home to work. I hated leaving at eight in the morning. I really did have a lot to do. Especially since I needed to work on a bigger Christmas gift for Edward. T-shirts and knick-knacks are one thing and are all well and good, but it wasn't enough. Not by a long shot.

But, I had an idea and hopefully, I could get it done before Christmas.

It was around noon and I was just about to take a break for lunch when my phone rang. It was my father. It was kind of odd to hear from him in the middle of the day and a slight panic washed over me. "Hello?" I said calmly, hoping not to show my fear.

"Hey, Birdie!" He said brightly. "I was on your side of town and I was wondering if you'd like to join your dear old pops for some chow."

"Oh!" I said relieved. When you were the daughter of a police officer you always worried. "Yeah, that would be great. I was just about to get some food myself. Want to get some barbeque? I haven't had any in ages."

"A girl after my own heart. I'll be over in five minutes to pick you up."

"Alright. See you then."

I got up and quickly got dressed in better clothing. Though I had already showered I was still wearing one of Edward's tee shirts that I had stolen in the morning. I slipped on a tank top and put a button down over that before putting on some jeans and chucks. I threw my hair up in a messy ponytail, frowning at my eye as I looked in the mirror. It looked worse than it did before.

Maybe Charlie wouldn't notice...

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOUR FACE!?" He shouted as a way of greeting. "Who did this to you? Was it that guy you were having problems with? I'll kick his sorry punk ass. They'll never find the body!"

I laughed, rolling my eyes at his dramatics. "No, it was not Edward. That's the 'punk ass's' name. I started taking a self-defense course at my gym and this crazy old lady fell into me and made me punch myself in the face."

"You're not lying to me, are you?" He said, eying me seriously..

"Charlie, first off, if a male punched me I would have maced him. Second, Edward would never hit a woman so you don't have to worry. Third, have you met me? Do you know my luck? Honestly, could I make a story like that up?"

He thought about it for a moment, letting out a deep breath. "Girl, you did it _good_ too."

"Didn't I, though?" I said, rubbing the side of my face. "Hurts like a son of a bitch too," I said, chuckling. "Edward freaked out when he saw it."

"So, I take it things are good with the boy?" He said, straightening up his gun belt. "Since I get to know his name now."

I chuckled at his _'I'm a cop and I could make him disappear'_ attitude. "Yes, they're great. Now, I'm hungry. Let's go."

When we got to the restaurant I ordered some chicken with corn fritters and a big salad. My father ordered an entire rack of ribs with a side of barbecued shrimp. I stirred my sweet tea with my straw, thinking about a few things I needed to tell my dad.

"What's on your mind, sugar?"

I shrugged. "A couple of things. First off, Mom and Phil are coming into town in a couple of weeks. They're going to be out of town for Christmas so they want to do it early."

He nodded his head thoughtfully before taking a swig of beer. "You said a couple of things. What else?"

"I'm going to London for New Years."

My father raised an eyebrow, looking at me with surprise. "Really?"

"Edward invited me to go with him and I said yes. It's from the twenty-sixth until the second of January."

"Wow. That's a big step. Going out of the country with someone, I mean," he said thoughtfully. "Sounds like fun though."

I was so glad that my father reacted so well. I was kind of nervous that he would give me a lecture about being responsible or something. Then it dawned on me... Charlie, even though he had his slips, actually thought of me as an adult.

It made me smile.

I took a sip of my tea to hide my grin before I answered him, "yeah, it does sound like fun."

**If you're still enjoying this story let me know! Motivation helps so much. **

**Thanks for reading! **


	20. Chapter 20

**Where's a hole when you need one?**

Two weeks flew by, almost literally. Edward and I had been together for just over a month now and I wouldn't have had it any other way. I adored being with him. It gave me something to look forward to every day.

Though I had to admit our work schedules almost never lined up. He was usually off during the mornings of the week when I was working the most and he worked during the weekends when I tried to slow things done. I found myself trying to work around him which I was okay with.

Whenever I wasn't with him, I got a lot done. It gave me the inspiration to finish up for the day.

Websites were no longer my life and I loved that.

"Anything I should know about your mother?" Edward asked as we got ready in my apartment. He had stayed the night with me since he didn't have to work that day at all since it was a Thursday. They were generally one of his slower days.

I came up to him, adjusting his tie for him quietly. He wore wearing a lovely black suit with a pretty silk blue tie. It made him look extremely handsome and very professional. I also thought it was cute that he picked out his tie to match my dress.

It kind of made me feel like we were going to prom, not to a fancy restaurant to meet my mother and stepfather for a meal.

"Um, don't call her Mrs. or anything. Just Renee. She used to be a teacher and she's very happy that she's not anymore. Phil is going to pay the bill so don't even look at it. It ticks him off royally when someone else pays. He owns a baseball team down in Florida, but for the life of me, I can't remember their name right now. They're a minor league team. Don't worry, he'll tell you."

"Okay," he said slowly, straightening out my collar for me. He moved his hands down my sides, pulling me closer to him.

I had gone back to that vintage store with Alice to pick out a few dresses for the holidays. The one I was wearing was my favorite. It was a fifties style blue 'housewife' style dress with short bell sleeves and a belt around my waist. It flared at my hips and stopped at about mid-calf. It even had a petticoat underneath.

Edward loved it. And the pumps that I was wearing with them. He made a big show of putting them on for me earlier, kissing my ankles lightly as he knelt down in front of me.

It was a very hot image.

Sometimes he made me feel like Cinderella and I told him as much. Edward just smiled. He kissed my neck, careful not to smear my bright red lipstick.

It was a good man that knew not to mess with a woman's makeup without being told, especially when she took thirty minutes to do it.

"And flattery works wonders," I informed him, dusting off his shoulders. "My mother is shallow and loves it. Stroke her ego and you'll have her eating out the palm of your hand."

He chuckled, kissing my neck again. "Does flattery work on you?"

"Edward, you've already gotten into my panties. You don't have to work that hard," I teased him. He laughed, dipping me back and kissing my bare skin again. His lips were warm and soft, his hands strong against my waist.

"I just want to make sure you know how much I want you... at all times," he breathed against my neck.

"You do," I said, a slight shiver running down my spine. If he wasn't careful I was going to end up canceling so I could get into _his_ pants.

"Come on or we'll be late."

"But, I want to be late!" I said, stomping behind me as he led me into the living room before I could ravage him. He laughed happily, squeezing my hand. "My mom is always late. She won't mind."

"Yes, but I want to make a good impression. This is the first time I've met any of your family and I want them to like me."

"They'll love you," I told him with a smile, straightening his hair a bit. "Hell, my mom will probably try to steal you away. She's a bigger cougar than me."

"You are not a cougar!" He snorted. "I am not that young and you're not that old."

"Not _that_ old!?" I said, smacking him with my clutch like I was actually mad. He could tell right away that I was playing. "I'll show you old. I'm going to beat you with my walker."

"Do I need to get you a wheelchair, Grandma?" He asked charmingly as he walked out the door ahead of me.

I slapped his ass hard, making him do that Goofy yell that I loved so much. He rubbed his bottom the entire ride down the elevator. I held my chin up, pretending to be annoyed.

"Serves you right, _sonny_." I was so going to get it later and looked forward to it.

We arrived at the overpriced steakhouse about an hour later, the traffic hell. And even with that, we waited at the bar for Renee and Phil for fifteen minutes.

Phil was looking as handsome as ever in his pinstriped suit and slicked back black hair. His skin was a dark olive color from being in the sun so much and his eyes were a bright shining blue. He really was a good looking guy and my mom was lucky to get him. He was only in his mid-thirties but he had done very well for himself.

He greeted me first, placing a kiss on my cheek softly before shaking Edward's hand. But, my mom was nowhere in sight.

"Where's Mom?"

"Powder room." He rolled his eyes with a smile. "Upset stomach, she said. She'll meet us at the table. She asked us to order her a martini."

"Gotcha." I nodded, following a hostess to our table. Phil ordered a bottle of wine for the rest of us and a martini for his wife, dirty with extra olives.

"So, how's the business going, Bella?" Phil asked with a charming smile.

"Good! Really good. I've actually had to put a limit on how many more customers I can take. I have my hands really full."

"Have you ever considered expanding? Getting some helpers and some office space?" He said in a business like a tone. We had talked about this before. "I could always help."

"That's very kind of you," I blushed. "I'm really enjoying this right now though. I may in the future, but this is perfect right now."

"That's good. It's good to know what you can handle," he said, nodding his head thoughtfully. "You're a bright young woman and I know whatever you decide to do will be the right thing."

"Thanks, Phil," I smiled. I really did like my stepfather. He was charming and kind hearted, always quick to be reassuring. But, he was just as tactful as my mother. Which wasn't saying much.

"So, what line of work are you in, Edward?" He asked, narrowing his eyes on my boyfriend.

"Ah, I'm a musician. I perform at weddings, parties, restaurants, and bars... That sort of thing." He shrugged, blushing as he looked down at his empty plate in front of him.

"Does that do well? Paywise, I mean?"

I wanted to hide underneath the table. Who asks that?

Edward chuckled much to my surprise, "very, actually. When I first started I was worried that I wouldn't be able to make it. But, honestly, from one large wedding, I usually get six or seven people booking me for other events in the future. Like Bella, I'm always busy."

"Do you work for a company?" Phil asked, taking another sip of wine.

"Nope. I am my own boss which makes it even better. It's a good life. It's not exactly what I wanted to do but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world now," Edward said, taking my hand underneath the table and squeezing it tightly.

"There you are!" Phil said brightly as Renee came back to the table. She looked a little flustered as she planted a quick kiss on his cheek before sitting down. Then she finished her martini in one gulp, rudely snapping her fingers at the waiter for another one.

Renee had taken to the lifestyle of having money, it was easy to see. To her perfectly styled hair, to her perfectly polished leather shoes, she was 'classed up' as she used to say. She leaned over and gave me a big kiss on the cheek before looking at Edward.

Her jaw almost dropped to the table. Edward flushed at her gaze, offering his hand to my mom to shake. "Hello, Renee. It's so nice to meet you. I've heard so many nice things about you."

I loved that Edward could lie so smoothly to my mother. I smiled wickedly at that thought, taking a drink of my own wine. I had mainly bitched about how crazy she could be to him.

She took his hand, flushing a bright red color before shaking it slowly. "Hello. You must be Edward."

"Yes, ma'am," he said politely, looking down innocently again. He was so cute when he was being shy.

"You're British," she said bluntly. Once again, I wanted to crawl underneath the table. _Honestly, who says that?_

Edward laughed, "I am." He was used to it.

"Good job, Bella," my mom said, patting my arm.

I gulped down the rest of the wine. Edward very kindly refilled my glass for me. And his own.

We were just about to order when someone's cell phone began to ring. It wasn't mine or Edward's. Renee frowned deeply when Phil took out his phone, answering it briskly. "Yes? No. That's not what I ordered. No. NO," he said more firmly. "Honestly, why do I have you working for me? No. I'll fix this. Let me get to my computer and I'll deal with it in a minute."

"Phil!" Renee hissed. "We're about to have dinner."

"Honey, I know. I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you girls tomorrow. Right now I have to go put out some fires. Bella, Edward, this is all on me. Don't even think of paying. I'll see you both later," he said quickly. He tried to give Renee a kiss but she dodged it. He sighed before planting one on her cheek. "I know. I'm sorry. Don't be mad."

"Bastard," she mumbled under his breath, finishing another martini.

"Mom!"

"What?" She said quickly, holding her chin in the air as she popped an olive in her mouth.

"That is your husband."

"Well, he needs to learn that I am more important."

I rolled my eyes. She said the same thing about my dad. Thankfully the waiter came back by and we ordered our food, a welcome distraction.

Edward squeezed my hand underneath the table and leaned in close. "Do I need to give you two some alone time?"

"God, no!" I all but hissed. "Please?"

He nodded, kissing my cheek.

Dinner was uncomfortable. Especially since Renee had seven martinis. That was before she stumbled her way to the bar.

"You've heard of Margaritaville. Well, welcome to Martiniville." I frowned at Edward. A small smile tugged at his mouth as he wrapped his arm around me, walking with me to the bar. Renee was making me need a drink.

"Mom, I think we need to cut you off," I said as she ordered yet another.

"No! I can drink so I'm going to drink. I didn't think I'd be able to for a while and I want to celebrate," she said as she plopped down onto a stool heavily. Stealing a cherry from the condiments tray at the bar, she popped it into her mouth as she leaned her head on her palm.

"Okay..." I drew out slowly. "Why didn't you think you'd be able to drink?"

"I thought I was pregnant," she said, chewing on the stem. I snatched it away from her mouth, throwing it down on the bar.

"Are you?"

"No!" She almost shouted. "I'm not that stupid. I took a pregnancy test in the bathroom. It was negative."

Only my mother would take a pregnancy test at an upscale steak restaurant and then binge on liquor.

"Is that why you're mad at Phil?"

"No," she pouted. I knew at this point I wouldn't get any more information out of her that would be useful.

"Come on, Mom. Let's get you back to your hotel. I think you've had more than enough for tonight."

"No," she said, pushing me away when I tried to get her to stand. Edward tried to get on the other side but she swatted him hard in the chest and told him to leave her alone. He looked at me for guidance and I just shook my head.

"Renee, don't make me call Charlie!" I warned her.

"Who's Charlie?" Edward asked in a whisper.

"My dad," I said, narrowing my eyes at my mother. She would avoid him at all costs. "How about it, Renee? Want me to call the Police Chief? I'm sure he'd _love_ to see you."

Usually, she avoided him. _Usually_.

"Charlie!? Hell yes! Call the old bastard up! I haven't seen him in ages." Then she slapped the bar.

Well, that plan blew up in my face.

I chewed on my lip as I looked at Edward. He shrugged, looking with at Renee with a frown. "I think it might be a good idea to get someone who knows how to wrangle her in."

"I guess so."

"You two are talking like I'm not even here. You guys suck," Renee pouted. "You're supposed to be young and fun. Where is your spirit?"

"Watch her," I directed Edward. "I'm going to call Charlie."

"Don't worry, baby! I ain't leaving the bar. Especially since I've got Mr. British here to keep me company!" My mother shouted.

I think I wanted to die.

I owed Edward so much for this.

I called Charlie quickly, explaining what was going on to him. He said he would be right over and less than fifteen minutes later he was there. _Thank God. _

"Charles Swan, it has been far too long!" Renee said, sliding her hand down his chest with that stupid southern simper accent. I wanted to smack her. And so did Charlie, apparently.

"Woman, what are you doing?" Charlie asked her, turning slightly red. "You are embarrassing yourself and you're are embarrassing the kids. Honestly, where is your head?"

"In Martiniville," Edward mumbled, taking a sip of a bourbon he ordered. He offered me his tumbler and I took a big gulp. If I didn't have to be responsible, I would have been drunk by then too.

"Sounds about right." Charlie smiled at Edward's comment before looking down at Renee. "Alright, girl. Get your ass up so we can get you back to your hotel."

"Oh, Charlie, you always knew how to talk to a lady," she giggled, holding onto her stool tightly. "I don't want to go. I want to stay."

"Well, the fine owners of their establishment don't want you to make a scene and I'm going to make sure that doesn't happen. Now, get your ass up before I carry you out of here."

"Nope," she popped the p before throwing an olive into her mouth defiantly.

Within a few seconds, Charlie picked up Renee, bridal style, and was walking her out to his cruiser. "Oh, Charlie! Take me to bed!" She giggled as he awkwardly tried to open the back door. Edward helped him as I followed behind.

He threw her into the back, looking down at her with that _don't fuck with me I'm a police officer_ look. "Renee, there ain't enough tequila in Mexico to make me want to get into your panties."

And then he slammed the door on her surprised face.

The only time I had wanted a camera the entire night. Her face was PRICELESS.

"If she wasn't your mother I'd throw her in the drunk tank," Charlie said, sighing as he put an arm around me before pressing a kiss into my hair. "I'm sorry, girl. Come on, let's get her back to her hotel and get her into bed. Before she throws up back there."

"Alright, you know where she's staying?" I asked. Edward took over, pulling me into his arms and hugging me tightly from behind.

"Yeah, we talked before they came into town. How we were going to work tomorrow," he said. The following day we were going to exchange gifts as a family.

"We'll meet you there," Edward said softly, rubbing my back.

As soon as we got into the car he leaned over and kissed me on the lips softly. "Are you okay?"

"I am so sorry you have to deal with my crazy ass family. I never thought Renee would act like this and I didn't want you to meet Charlie this way. I am so sorry."

"We all have crazy family members. It's okay, love. Let's get Renee back to the hotel and into bed. Okay?" He asked gently.

"Okay," I answered softly, feeling a little numb.

We got to the hotel and I had to search Renee's purse for the key. I opened the door and Charlie stumbled in, the very drunk Renee passed out in his arms. It was a nice suite so it had a living room and a bedroom. Phil was on the phone, pacing around as he yelled at someone about orders. As soon as he saw us he said, "you fucking deal with it. I've got to go." And he hung up.

"What the hell happened?" He asked, quickly taking Renee out of Charlie's arms. Renee woke up giggling, wrapping her arms around Phil's neck. "Are you drunk?"

"Very," Charlie and I said at the same time.

"She was mad after you left and said something about a pregnancy test and now we're here," I said looking at him. "Are you guys okay?"

"I've been busy with work. My partner retired so I've had to pick up the slack. She gets so angry. I'm so sorry. Let me get her to bed. I'm so sorry," he said again.

As soon as he left there was an awkward silence between us all. All I wanted to do was go to sleep.

"So, you're Edward?" Charlie finally asked.

My nervous boyfriend nodded slowly, bringing his hand up to shake my father's. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Chief Swan. You've raised an amazing daughter."

"Don't I know it?" Charlie smiled at me, patting my back gently before something wicked glinted in his eyes. "But, I have a very important question for you, boy and you better think about your answer very carefully."

"Dad?" I raised an eyebrow at him but he ignored me.

"Yes, sir?" Edward swallowed heavily.

"Are you sleeping with my daughter?" He said, his face deathly serious.

I thought Edward was going to throw up.

"Dad!" I shouted at him, smacking his shoulder hard.

"I'm just screwing with you," my father laughed loudly, patting Edward's back hard as he threw his head back. "Honestly, relax. Jeez, I don't have a gun on me right now or anything."

"I'm so horrified," I muttered. Edward rubbed my back and began to laugh softly. I think the stress was starting to break him.

"What? We needed to break the ice! It worked, didn't it?" Charlie asked me innocently. I threw him an evil look and he shrank back some. The only thing that saved him from my wrath was the return of Phil.

"I've got her bed. Once again, I am so sorry about this. Renee hasn't handled me working very well and I didn't even know about the pregnancy scare. I promise we'll call you guys tomorrow and we'll work something out... if you still want to see us."

"Yeah." I shrugged, sighing. I knew I would never hear the end of it if I told Renee to go fuck herself like I wanted to.

"Why don't we get you home so you can get some rest?" Edward asked gently. I nodded, ready to get out of there.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Charlie said, giving me a tight hug. "I'm going to stay a minute and talk to Phillip here."

I knew what those words meant. It meant that Charlie was going to give him a piece of his mind. "Go easy on him, Charlie. He didn't do anything wrong, I think." This had Renee written all over it.

The ride back to my apartment was as silent as the grave. Edward took me into my room, helping me to slowly undress. I was just sort of numb from being so tired and embarrassed. He was a gentleman the entire time, whispering soft words of encouragement.

"Do you want me to go?" Edward asked softly, brushing a hand over my cheek once he got me down to my bra and panties. "I can tuck you in, if you want me to, and leave."

"Please don't go," I whispered, hugging him tightly. He was still fully dressed and I hated it. I undressed him quietly, kissing his lips lightly between each garment that fell to the ground. Finally, he was wearing only his boxers.

"Want me to get you a nightgown?" He asked, nodding his head towards the third drawer. I shook my head and picked up his shirt, throwing it onto the bed. He smiled slightly, understanding my intentions. Gently and with soft hands, he removed my bra and rubbed my back, kissing the back of my neck lightly.

I put on his shirt, just glad to be wrapped in his scent. He turned me around once I had it on and placed both of his hands on the sides of my face. "You are a beautiful and wonderful woman."

"You're sweet," I said quietly.

"It's the truth. Don't let your mother break you down in any way. No parent is perfect and I know it's hard sometimes. But I am here for you in any way that you need me."

"Hold me," I said as I began to choke up. The wear of the day finally became too much and tears began to fall down my face heavily.

"Oh, Bella," he whispered, sounding as if he could cry as well. He kissed the top of my head, holding me tightly by the waist so that I was pressed against his body. It was so comforting. "Bella, love, I will hold you all night. I will sing to you all night if it keeps the bad feelings away. Please, just don't cry, my darling."

"Thank you for being with me," I whispered quietly into his chest.

"Thank you for being normal," he whispered in return, chuckling softly. I laughed as well, sniffling as I looked up into his beautiful dark green eyes.

"Well, I certainly wouldn't go that far..."

**What a rough way to meet the parents. This is my favorite Charlie though. **

**Reviews really are the best motivation. Thank you all have taken the time to let me know they're enjoying this story. :)**

**Thanks for reading!**


	21. Chapter 21

**I'll be there**

True to his word, Edward held me the entire night. Through my crying. Through my nightmares. Through frenzied and desperate lovemaking that I begged for in between hot kisses and wandering hands.

He was so good to me.

I couldn't have asked for more.

I finally woke up around eight, not able to go back to sleep. Edward was already awake beside me, gently stroking my hair with his free hand.

"You know," he began when my fluttering eyes landed on his handsome face, "you normally talk during your sleep. But I've never heard you say so much."

"What did I say?" I murmured, blushing. I hoped I didn't make a fool of myself. He smiled at me charmingly, running a finger over my cheek.

"You were just babbling. Things about me and your family. You kept thanking me over and over in your sleep."

"At least you know I'm truly grateful." I blushed, burying my face in his chest. He pulled me back gently, kissing my lips softly.

"There is no reason for you to be grateful. I love being here. I love being with you," he said, brushing his fingers through my hair. "Bella, you are so special to me. You have to know that."

"You are to me too," I said, kissing his chest lightly. He hummed quietly, kissing the top of my head again. We laid there for a long time before my stomach growled loudly.

"Hungry?" He asked, chuckling quietly.

"Very," I said, embarrassed.

"Why don't I make us something good to eat?" Edward smiled at me, tugging my chin up to kiss him on the lips. They were so soft and so welcoming. It was so hard to pull myself away from them when he was being so... _delicious_.

I would never get enough of him.

"I'll have you for breakfast," I mumbled against his neck, nipping at it gently. My stomach growled again, even louder this time. Edward began to laugh, pushing me back gently.

"I think your stomach disagrees. We'll work on that after breakfast, shall we?"

"Fine," I said, throwing myself out of bed. "If we must."

Edward threw on his undershirt as I tugged on a pair of shorts. I didn't want to wear anything else and I wished that he was wearing less, but I could fix that later. He took me into the kitchen, setting me on the countertop so he could work in peace. He had learned very quickly that I was only really good at chopping vegetables and making things from boxes.

Which was one of the reasons I was working so hard on the healthy item a week thing on the list.

"Alright, I think I could make us some omelets. We've got everything here. Oo! Chorizo. I could make Spanish omelets. Onions, bell peppers, garlic, chorizo, and queso. Sound good?" He said, taking things out of the fridge.

"I am in your capable hands, Mr. Cullen," I teased him. "What do you want me to do?"

"Well, I thought we said we wanted breakfast first..." He said naughtily, wiggling his eyebrows at me playfully.

"And you were such a gentleman," I said, teasing him right back.

"I am a man. I can only be a gentleman for so long. Especially when you're wearing my shirt and no bra and you're obviously cold."

I looked down at my chest, and sure enough, I was rather _perky._ I snickered, covering my breasts with my arms. "Yeah, yeah. Get to work with the food."

"Yes, mistress," he joked, chopping up the garlic. The room was already starting to get fragrant and he hadn't even really started cooking.

I hopped down from the counter when someone knocked on the door. It was probably a delivery or something. I got them quite a bit with my work. I slapped him on the ass hard, rubbing it when I got done. "That's right, slave. Mm, work for me."

He chuckled, kissing me lightly. I was just starting to get really into it when they knocked again. I tried to ignore them, but it was impossible to. He pulled back, humming as he licked his lips as if he was tasting me on them. The move made me all warm inside. "Go get the door before they knock it down, love."

"Better be important," I muttered, going to the door. I flung it opened and was floored. Though, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised.

"Mom? What are you doing here?" I said, flustered and frustrated all at once.

"I wanted to talk to you," she said quietly, her eyes squinting. It was obvious that she was hungover.

"First off, Phil said you would call later and two, it's like eight in the morning. I wouldn't be too surprised if you were still drunk."

"I'm not," she quietly whined. "And before you ask, I didn't drive. I know I'm too hungover for that. And if you want to fuss at me, go ahead. I deserve it. Please, just don't _yell_."

"Come in," I sighed, ushering her away from the bright hallway.

"Everything okay?" Edward asked, coming out from the kitchen. As soon as he saw my mother he blushed from his toes to his hair. "Um, good morning, Renee."

"Edward," she said politely.

"I'm going to... um, get pants on," he muttered, rushing off to the bedroom.

"I take it things are serious between the two of you," she said, watching him as he quickly shut the door. Poor Edward couldn't catch a break, it seemed.

"Mom," I said as a way of warning. I was not in the mood for her crap today. She quickly brought her hands up, surrendering before the fight could even begin.

"I know, privacy," she said, frowning. "He must think I'm horrible."

"Would you blame him if he did?" I asked in return.

"No, not at all. I think I'm pretty horrible right now myself."

"Look, Renee, I'm not going to throw you a pity party-"

"I know! Baby, I know. I wasn't looking for sympathy or trying to make you feel guilty. It's just true. What I did last night was just horrible and I need to apologize for my awful behavior."

I waited for Edward to scamper off back to the kitchen, making excuses about veggies as he went before I answered her. "What the hell were you thinking last night?"

"I thought that was obvious. I wasn't," she answered sarcastically. I looked at her with a raised eyebrow, waiting for more. "I'm sorry. I was just so stressed out. I guess the honeymoon stage is over and Phil and I have been fighting a lot. And he's been working so damn much! And then, I thought I might have been pregnant and I was mad that he wasn't freaking out with me."

"He told me that you didn't tell him about it."

"I didn't."

"How can you be mad at him for that!" I threw my arms up. "He's not a frickin mind reader, Mom. You have to tell him these things."

"I know," she frowned at my scolding. I could feel it building up.

"And another thing, Mom. You should be really happy that you found a responsible man with a good job and money. You know, you always said the same thing when it came to Dad. That he worked too much. These guys just can't drop their jobs and devote all their time to you. You are not some goddess to be worshiped and maybe you should take some responsibility for yourself."

"I know that."

"Do you?" I asked seriously. "Phil is a businessman. You knew that before you got married. He's a wonderful guy and he loves you very much and last night..." I shook my head. "You disrespected him by acting that way. And you disrespected yourself. And everyone around you. I wanted to introduce you to someone I care about very much and you made me want to crawl in a hole from the humiliation of watching my mother drink herself underneath the table."

"I know," she rubbed her forehead. "I know more than you know how horrible last night was. I'm not proud of myself. I'm not proud of a lot of things in my life. I've very rarely done the right thing."

I huffed quietly, crossing my arms as I looked at her. I was not yet in the mood to forgive her for anything. "What am I supposed to say, Renee?"

"I want you to listen for a moment," she said quietly before clearing her throat. "I was seventeen when I had you. Charlie wasn't much older. It was a shotgun wedding. I know you know all of this, but I felt so trapped. And when you came home and you were all colic and crying...and Charlie was working so much. I just couldn't handle it. You were six months old when I bailed. And that was probably the most responsible thing I've ever done."

I gave her an appraising look, wondering where she was going with this. I could hear Edward steadily working away in the kitchen and I wished for nothing more than to go back to twenty minutes before when we were still in bed, holding each other.

"I'm a horrible mother," she said with a shrug. "Letting Charlie raise you was the best thing I could ever do for you. I wish I could have done better for you, but it seems I never will. But, you have to know that I do love you and I am terribly sorry for what I've done. For everything."

"Mom, last night was just so pointless and stupid," I said, giving in slightly.

"I know."

"Do you know how lucky you are? You could have gotten yourself badly hurt."

"I know," she repeated. "I am a very lucky person."

"You need to cut Phil some slack. He's trying hard and you aren't making it easy."

"I've been trying. It's hard. I'm selfish."

Talk about being brutally honest.

"And you should cut Charlie some slack too. He was working hard to provide for his family," I said, saying one of the things I had always wanted to say to my mother. She always made him out to be the bad guy when it was always the other way around.

Renee nodded her head. "I know that now. He was a good man and I ruined a good thing with him. I got very lucky to get a second chance with Phil. He's a good man."

"I'm glad you realize that," I whispered.

"Is Edward a good man?" Renee asked quietly in return so he couldn't hear us.

"He's the best, Mom," I assured her.

"Good, good," she mumbled. "Bella, I'm going to tell you this once because I wish someone had told me. Though I wouldn't have listened, so I guessed it wouldn't have mattered. But, try not to have a need for second chances." She glanced over her shoulder towards the kitchen. "_Good_ is hard to come by in this world."

"I know," I whispered in return. "I know."

"Um, sorry to interrupt, ladies, but I was about to make some omelets. Would you like one as well, ma'am?" He asked my mother.

"He cooks?"

I rolled my eyes. "Ten times better than me."

"As much as I'd like to, I think I should head back to the hotel. I need to nurse this hangover a little longer before I'm forced to face the public," she said, patting my thigh before standing up. I followed her to the door and my mother gave me a quick hug. "Call me later, okay?"

"Okay," I nodded. I glanced back at the kitchen doorway but Edward had already gone back inside to give us some privacy. "But, Mom. I have to ask... after tonight... Can we just... let _things_ be for a while? I don't think I'm still exactly up to being completely friendly. I need some time away from… _this_."

"I figured as much." She gave me a sad smile. "Of course. Just, don't let it fester too long, alright? Call later and we'll figure out how we're going to do this evening."

"Alright, Mom," I answered. After I shut the door I laid my head against it and took a deep breath. It was going to be a hard day, I could feel it already.

"Bella?" Edward called softly. He was suddenly right behind me, rubbing my shoulders gently. "Are you okay?"

I nodded my head but began to sob. Having that conversation with my mother was just so damn draining. I felt empty once again, all of Edward's comfort from the night before gone. He turned me slowly and I threw myself in his arms.

"Hush, love. Hush. I'm here. It's okay," he breathed into my hair, hugging me even more tightly.

"I... I... I..." I sobbed into his chest, just trying to get the words out but I couldn't. I could feel his shirt moisten under my tearful eyes and I clutched onto it even tighter. "Edward, I..."

"It's okay, love. Let it out. I've got you," he whispered gently.

"I need to tell you something," I whimpered, taking in deep, gulping breaths.

"You can tell me anything," he said, his hand rubbing my back.

"I am so grateful to have you in my life. I am so sorry that I wasted so much time in the beginning-"

"You needed that time, Bella," Edward said, "I knew that even if I didn't like it. I understand."

"But, I was being stupid. You are such a powerful and wonderful force in my life. You are my life now and I've never felt so happy and secure," I pulled back to look into his eyes. "That's because of you and _only_ you."

"Aw, Bella," Edward whispered, brushing his fingers along my jaw before taking it into his hands and pulling me in close. I kissed him deeply, wrapping my arms around his neck. "I feel the exact same way."

"Do you?" I asked, placing my hands on his face. His skin was slightly scratchy with the tiny stiff red hairs growing along his jawline. It made him seem more handsome though. His bright green eyes gazed down at me, warm and comforting.

"I do," he breathed.

"Edward, I love you," I blurted out without even thinking about it. I didn't even realize that was how I felt until the words left my lips. But it was true. I had been in love with him for a very long time.

His eyes grew wide as his mouth dropped open. I could feel his skin grow warm underneath my touch and I instantly began to worry that I had done the wrong thing. Did he not feel the same way I did? Would I scare him away? Were we not ready for this?"

"You look so frightened," Edward whispered and warm wet tears fell over my fingers that still lingered on his face. His tears. I made him cry.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have blurted that out like that," I said, trying to pull away but Edward placed his hands on top of mine.

"God, I love you. I've been in love with you since before that night you came to that overpriced French place and gave me that note that said I was right. I have been in love with you since the first time our lips touched and I've wanted nothing more but to hear you say those words. And bloody hell, they sound so much more beautiful than I could have imagined."

I started crying again and I leaned up to kiss him. It was like something broke inside of him and he was the one now frenzied. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to his firm body. I threw my arms around his neck, kissing him back just as passionately.

"Say it again," I whispered.

"I love you," he spoke against my mouth, backing me up against the door. My legs wrapped around his waist and he hoisted me up against the wood. "Isabella Swan, my love. My most beautiful love."

"I love you," I moaned as his lips danced across my neck lightly. "Make love to me. Please."

"Mm...With _great_ pleasure," he spoke against my neck as he began to carry me to the bedroom. Then I remembered something. Edward was cooking.

"Is everything off in the kitchen?"

"Yes," he mumbled. "It'll be there waiting for us when we're ready."

My stomach was all forgotten when he stripped me from my clothes and I undressed him as well. He laid me back on the bed and settled on top of me. He was warm and so gentle his bright red hair brushing against my forehead as he pressed himself inside of me. I moaned as he slid into me, my head tilting back slightly as my mouth opened wide.

"Yes!"

He slowly and lovingly licked my bottom lip, sucking it into his mouth. I took his top lip into my mouth, returning the favor. His fingers lovingly drew across my hips, his movements slow and yet so full of passion. It was so amazing. It felt _so _good.

"I love you," he whispered against my mouth, his eyes piercing into mine. I held his gaze, unable to do anything other than respond to his hot touch.

"I love you," I replied back, my legs wrapping around his waist. He sat up for a moment, taking one of my legs so that it was hooked into the crook of his arm and repositioned himself deep within me. _So deep. _

Edward leaned down, taking one of my nipples into his mouth as he rocked against me. I began to tighten around him and I felt his mouth grow wide against my skin, his hot breath flowing against my flesh.

"Fuck," he whimpered. "No condom."

"Don't stop," I begged him, my orgasm taking me. I couldn't have cared less if he was wearing a condom at that moment or not.

"Oh, oh, oh..." he drew out, his breaths panting as I tightened around him. "I can't- ugh... too much," he hissed, pulling out of me a moment before he came. His warmth spread all over my stomach, surprisingly pleasant.

Edward collapsed on top of me and my arms wrapped around him. I began to pet his hair, kissing the top of his head as his face rested against my breast.

"I'm sorry. I was so... immersed in everything we were doing. I didn't even think about a condom until I felt you around me like that."

"It's okay," I assured him. "I'll take care of it, just in case."

He frowned slightly, looking up at me with confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I'll make a doctor's appointment for tomorrow morning. I need to go anyway. Condoms are kind of a pain in the ass. I'll look into some kind of birth control," I promised.

"Want me to go with you?" He asked very seriously, making me smile.

"That's sweet. No, it's okay. I know you have to work early tomorrow. I can handle it. I'm a big girl."

"What about this evening?" He said softly, stroking my hair gently. "I can cancel on them if I need to. I don't mind. If you need me, I'll be here..."

"No!" I said quickly. "I won't have you ruin someone's special day because of me. As I said, I'm a big girl. I can handle it."

"I'll be back as soon as it's over," he assured me softly.

"I'd love that," I said, touching his chin. "I love you."

He smiled brightly, brushing his nose against my own. "I love you, too."

My stomach growled loudly and he laughed, touching the noise maker affectionately, "I think it's time I feed you."

"Yeah," I agreed. But honestly, I already felt very full. Full of love, happiness, and joy. "How about after we take a shower first?"

"Sounds good," he answered me with a smile. He hopped up from the bed, bringing me with him. I giggled as he tried to kiss me, but I gently pushed him away as I sauntered off to the bathroom.

"Edward?"

"Yeah?" He asked, pouting slightly.

"You might want to bring a condom with you," I said, winking at him playfully before going inside.

I heard my bedside drawer open and a soft 'yay' fall from Edward's lip. I could tell already that this was going to be a fun shower.

**So, here is an update for everything on the list so far.**

**Done: Friend, Size ten, orgasm, flight to anywhere, Dance in the rain, kiss a total stranger, hide and seek, gotten high, casino, tattoo, high heels, flirt, dance lessons, gym, concert, do something crafty, panties, sunrise, Greek food, Self defense, Spa, French Food, beer, gay club, Halloween, hair, double feature, Interview with a vampire**

**Need to do: London, formal wear, love herself, told someone off, healthy dish, bed, and breakfast, plant a tree, Mardi Gras, Tiffany's, winery, party, homemade cake, knit, baseball game, Ripley's believe it or not, five star hotel, two-piece bathing suit, sunbathe, dance club, grow a plant, and clean up language. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Plan B- it has so many meanings**

At four Edward had to leave to go get ready for work. I hated that and I didn't want him to leave... at all. Ever. After breakfast, we made love again. For the third time. The shower was the second and by far the most playful of the three.

And slipperiest.

"You call me if you need anything," he said, pulling up my chin to look at me with a very serious expression. "Anything and I'll be here."

"I know," I smiled at him, turning my face to kiss his fingers. "I love you," I whispered to him.

"I love you," he said, bringing his forehead to mine. We smiled at each other, neither of wanting to end our time together.

Finally, though, he did have to leave.

I called Renee and we decided just to have a small exchanging of presents at my apartment. Phil and Charlie would be there, making the evening more interesting. We decided to make the event at six, so I could have another shower.

I needed it.

That and I needed to clean up.

I had just taken a shower when my phone rang. I considered ignoring it until I saw that it was Alice. I needed a friendly ear.

"Hey," I answered.

"Hey, babe..." Alice said cheerfully. "How is the family time going?"

"Awful," I sighed heavily.

"Oh, no. Tell me all about it."

So, I did. I didn't spare a single detail. Well, of the family part of the evening and the conversation with Renee. Not Edward and our lovemaking.

"Jesus. Sounds like your mom is taking a cue from my mom. That suck, honey. What are you going to do tonight?"

"Try not to kill anyone," I mumbled, rubbing the back of my neck. "I wish I had Edward here with me. I need a buffer."

"How about this? I have nothing to do tonight. I'll swing by the bakery and pick up a cake and a big bottle of wine and I'll hang out with you. Renee doesn't scare me. I won't be nearly as nice as Edward was if she gets drunk again."

I laughed, "that would be awesome. What would I do without you?"

"Who knows! Have a lot less fun?" She giggled.

"And probably have a lot less sex," I added in.

"Well, that's between you and Mr. Cullen, but if I helped you get laid... _Well,_ that's just a job well done for me," she snickered. I could practically see her buffing her fingernails on her shirt like she was something.

I guess she was.

"Oh, I do have one more thing to ask. Um, Edward and I had an accident and I need to go to the pharmacy tomorrow to get the morning after pill. I forgot it was Saturday. I'm just going to make an appointment for Monday but I just want to be sure, you know?"

"Someone get a little too excited?" She laughed quietly and I felt a blush spread over my cheeks.

"I think it would have ruined the mood. We were just so intense. We are always intense but this was so much more. He didn't, you know, in me, but I want to be careful. I'm not ready for red-haired babies," I explained to her.

"Yet," she added in.

"Behave, will you? I've never done it before but I want some female support."

"Baby, I've got some at home. I'll bring you a dose and that'll do you until Monday."

I sat there quietly, shocked for a long moment. "Why do you have a supply of Plan B at your house?"

"Have you seen me with Bridget?"

There was a long silence before I said, "yup. Point taken. Alice, you are a lifesaver."

"A lime one. Maybe lemon. Because, you know, I'm a little tart. What kind of cake should I bring?"

"A big one," I answered with a laugh. "I want to binge tonight. It's been a while. And if you bring wine we're hiding it. I'm not sharing with Renee. They can drink water."

Alice snorted delicately, "got it. Big cake coming up. I'll see you in forty or so."

"I love you bunches," I told Alice seriously. "I'm so glad that you and Edward are in my life now. You are my best friend."

"Aw! Honey, I love you, too! Girl, don't worry. I will be there in a little while and after the nuts leave we'll indulge in cake therapy."

"The frosted kind. Not the smoking kind," I warned her.

"Just the frosting!" She said innocently. "I'm not dumb enough to bring weed around the chief."

We got off the phone quickly after that and I made a quick dash to clean up and get dressed. I wasn't going to wear anything really nice. Just jeans and a tee shirt. I had done fancy for my mom and she wasn't going to get it again. I threw my hair up in a ponytail just as Alice knocked on the door. I yelled for her to come in but I heard something slam against the door.

"OPEN UP!" She yelled. "WOMAN, HURRY!"

I ran to the door, freaking out. What was wrong?

I flung the door open and there Alice was standing with two cakes, one in either hand, one white and one chocolate. On top of the chocolate, one was a box with the words 'plan b' written on them. I yanked it from her, cake and all, and ushered her inside.

"Jasper sends his love and he said that he hopes chocolate helps make it all better."

"Remind me to kiss him next time I see him," I said, looking down at the beautiful cake. "I think with tongue if this tastes as good as it looks."

"I think Edward might mind," she giggled as she placed the other cake on my dinner table.

"And you won't?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nah, as long as I get to watch." She shrugged. Pulling a giant bottle, and I do mean _giant,_ of wine of her purse, she waved it in my general direction. "Fridge?"

"Alice, you are a freak." I rolled my eyes, taking the bottle from her. While I was in there I made myself a glass of water.

I looked at the box for a moment. I knew I wasn't pregnant. But it was kind of nice to think about it. I had never even thought it was possible for me to be pregnant before. When I was with Jacob I was always on the shot. I shrugged, knowing it was too early for all that and popped the pill into my mouth before swallowing deeply.

"What are you making for dinner?" Alice asked, crossing her arms as she leaned against the wall of my kitchen.

"Pizza. I'm not going to much effort. I'm not happy with any of my family right now." I rolled my eyes. "I was going to order once everyone gets here. Charlie will be lucky if I let him eat anything after that little stunt with Edward."

"He really asked him if you two were having sex?" She said, pursing her lips together so she wouldn't laugh. I could tell she was trying really hard not to giggle. Her strained expression made me burst.

"Yes," I laughed. "Oh, _god_."

"And what did Edward say exactly?"

"Nothing. He looked like he was either going to throw up or die. One of the two. Poor thing. Charlie doesn't know when to stop."

"Aw! Gosh, not how you envisioned your boyfriend meeting your dad, huh?" She asked quietly.

"Not at all. I wanted to take them both out to lunch right before Christmas. You know, meat and potatoes, and let them talk and get to know each other. They are the two most important men in my life and I want them to get along," I sighed, rubbing my forehead gently.

"Well, you remember how Jasper met my dad, right?" Alice giggled.

"No," I looked at her curiously. I had never heard this story before.

"He caught us on the middle of my bedroom floor with Jasper's hands up my shirt and on my ass. We were like seventeen. My dad still hates him. He calls him the cake bastard underneath his breath every time he sees him," Alice giggled before shrugging. "Special, huh? So, see. It could be worse!"

Alice and I chatted while we waited for my parents to arrive. Charlie was right on time, of course, and he came in cheerfully with an armful of presents.

"Dad! Did you buy out the entire store?" I asked, surprised as I began to take things from him.

"Close to it," he grumbled before setting things down. "Well, my word! Mary Alice! I haven't seen you in ages. Bella said you two found each other again. It's so good to see you!"

Alice bounced over to him and gave him a big hug. "It's good to see you too, Chief Swan."

"Please, girl, call me Charlie. I'm thinking about retiring anyway."

I think my jaw hit the ground. "What?"

"Well, I've been doing this job for several years now. I wouldn't mind doing something else. I've worked my time and I can retire with full benefits in May of next year. Plus, I've got a good deal saved up." My father shrugged. "Got any Cokes, Birdie?"

"Diet," I said and he frowned slightly but shrugged. I went to the fridge and grabbed him one.

"I guess I should drink these. They are better for you," he said, popping the top. He did a hiss after tasting it. "I guess you have to get used to it."

"I didn't know you could retire so soon," I said, ignoring my father's attempts at changing the subject. "What are you going to do once you retire? I've never known you just to sit on your ass all day."

He chuckled, "I said I'd retire. I didn't say I wanted to sit on my ass. I was thinking about getting a pull trailer and a boat and travel around. Fish all around North America. Maybe try ice fishing or something."

"Aw, dad. That sounds awesome," I said, genuinely pleased for him. "Maybe I can come with you sometimes."

"I wouldn't have it any other way. And maybe we could bring your boy along too. Hell, Alice and your man can come too if you'd like," my dad offered before taking another drink of his diet Coke. "The more the merrier."

"Maybe one weekend we could take Bridget to Arkansas to the mountains. We could give Rosalie and Emmett a romantic weekend," I thought out loud to Alice. She did a little shrug, but she knew Edward and I would be the ones taking care of her. Not Alice.

"Who's Bridget?"

"My niece," Alice explained. "Edward's cousin. She's three."

"Aw! I love them at that age! They are just so much fun. If you want to do that next summer, I'd be more than willing. I'd love to have some young blood around," Charlie said wistfully.

Alice and I both looked at each other with raised eyebrows as Charlie walked into my living room. That was a not so small hint that he was ready to be a grandpa. He had just met Edward and he already wanted me to get knocked up.

Nice, Dad.

Alice, Charlie, and I had a pleasant conversation about all the places we would like to visit while we waited for Renee. Of course, she was fifteen minutes late. None of us were surprised. They brought an armful of presents as well to add into the pile. With mine and all of theirs, there was going to be a lot of wrapping paper on the floor.

Alice was a godsend as she kept Renee entertained by talking about art. By the time I ordered the pizza Renee had already asked Alice to paint her something. I wasn't sure how I felt about that but if Renee brought Alice in some money... I guess that was okay.

Phil and Charlie didn't say much to each other but it wasn't like they were ignoring each other. It didn't seem as if they were mad. They just didn't have anything to say.

Or it could have been the fact that Alice and Renee were filling in the air with pointless conversation. I didn't even have to say anything and this was supposed to be _my_ Christmas with _my_ parents.

Finally, there was a knock at the door. We were going to open presents after pizza and the sooner they got there the sooner the evening would be over. Phil shoved a hundred dollar bill in my pocket as I passed, ignoring the fact that I said I already paid for it.

I actually did a little squeal of joy when I opened the door.

Edward was standing there, holding the pizzas.

"Edward!" I said, taking the pizzas from his arms and placing them on the coffee table before throwing myself into his arms. He chuckled at my enthusiastic reaction, kissing my neck lightly. "What are you doing here?"

"The, uh, the wedding didn't go exactly as planned. The groom passed out at the altar and hit his head, poor bastard. So, here I am. The pizza man was coming as I was trying to open the door so I signed for you. I hope you don't mind. I gave him a tip too," he explained and I just held on tighter.

"That's fine!" I said, finally letting go. He was wearing black jeans and a green sweater, his eyes much darker while wearing it. And he was wearing red converse to go with them. He was in the Christmas spirit and I knew it was just for me. "Come in. Are you hungry?"

"Starving." He smiled as he took my hand. "Hi, everyone. Alice, what are you doing here?"

"I'm the cake provider." She smiled wickedly at the private joke. Edward just rolled his eyes.

"You usually are, my dear," he said, kissing the top of her head. "I hope everyone is having a pleasant evening," he said in that charming voice of his. He could have melted butter with it.

"Oh yes." Renee smiled as she stood. "Can I help with anything?"

"No, Mom. I got it. I'll get some plates."

"I'll help with the drinks," Edward offered quickly, coming to my side in the kitchen. Before I could grab anything though he pulled me into his arms and kissed me deeply. I giggled against his mouth. "I missed you," he muttered, kissing me again.

"It's only been a few hours," I teased him.

"Don't care," he mumbled in between kisses. "I love you," he said softly.

"I love you, too."

I heard Alice squeal as she came into the kitchen, breaking up our moment. "Aw, you two finally said it. I wondered when that was going to happen. FINALLY," she said, dancing in her own little way. She went to the fridge and pulled out a bunch of sodas for everyone.

"Why do I have a feeling she knew before we did?" I asked him.

"Because she knows all," he said in a cheesy 'Jamaican' voice. "She sees all."

"Or at least she thinks she does," I snickered, grabbing the plates and some forks. Edward took them from my grip.

"I heard that!" I heard Alice shout from the dining room.

"And she hears all," Edward whispered, making me giggle softly.

The evening was looking a whole lot better now that he was there. He had no idea how grateful I was for that. Alice was great but Edward was my rock and I needed him by my side.

"So, Edward," Phil began as we sat around eating our pizza. "What happens when you don't play for the time you're hired for? I mean, do things like that happen a lot?"

"Ah, more than you know," Edward said, taking a bite of the salad that he retrieved from the refrigerator. I made one for myself as well. "I learned very quickly that I needed to have a solid contract."

I didn't know he had a contract. I honestly didn't even know how he set up his appointments. I remembered that he said once that he did it mainly through his email but I was sure at some point they had to meet in person.

I felt really stupid. I hadn't even really thought about it. We didn't talk much about work when we were together.

"That's smart," Phil said, nodding his head in agreement. "How is it set up?"

"Well, I have in writing that if you cancel a month or so before the event that you will receive the full amount paid in, including your deposit. Two weeks before, I can retrain the deposit but you will receive the rest back. After that, I keep the whole thing because I lose all possible profits for that time if you back out. It's impossible to rebook that quickly. I had a lawyer work the whole thing over with me so that it's ironclad. Quite nice actually."

"Your mom?" I asked. He nodded his head. She was in family law but I'm sure she could still help with that.

"You sound like a smart businessman," Charlie said. "You and Bella both."

"Thank you, sir," he said politely and shyly.

"Did you go to college?" Phil asked. Poor Edward was getting passed around. I knew he wasn't exactly great with the limelight and I hoped that he was okay. Thankfully, Alice decided to step in.

"Oh, yes! Edward is too smart for his own good! He finished high school a year early and then graduated magna cum laude in just under three years with a degree in music from the University of Texas in Austin."

"Very impressive." Renee smiled at him. She was trying her best to be on her best behavior.

"You know, normally I'd say that was a lazy ass degree but it seems that it has actually gotten you a job," Charlie chuckled. I flushed and covered my eyes. Sometimes my father was an idiot. "What? Don't look at me like that! I'm complimenting him."

Edward laughed, "it's okay. To this day Emmett calls it my 'fruity' degree. Then I politely remind him that he's a stay at home father and then I tell him to shut it."

I giggled and Edward smiled, winking in my direction. I felt myself relax knowing that he could handle this and that he wasn't going anywhere.

That was a lovely thought.

Alice bowed out after cake, claiming that she needed to get home to Jasper. I think she was just trying to let us have some family time. She knew I would be alright since Edward was there.

My reward for making it through the rest of the night was going to be eating cake off of Edward. Or maybe it was his reward. It depended on how the night went.

"Okay! It's time for presents!" Charlie exclaimed like a little kid. "Mine first."

"It's not a competition." Renee rolled her eyes.

I kept my mouth tightly shut at that comment.

I opened the first box that my father got me. I gasped softly at what was inside. It was a pretty little silver pocket watch. It was very feminine with my name etched on the inside. "Oh, Daddy! It's lovely! Thank you!"

"Okay, our turn!" Renee said quickly, pretty much canceling out the last thing she said. She slid a big box my way. Inside was a large and rather artistic looking blue and white handspun glass vase. It wasn't exactly my taste but it would look good with my furniture.

"Thanks, Mom. Phil."

"No, your mom got you that," Phil chuckled. "I got you this. We had a disagreement on what we thought you'd like. I said that was too girlie. I hope you like this. I hope it fits too."

He got me a leather jacket that went past my bottom. It was a little big but very comfortable. There were also a pair of leather gloves.

"This is awesome! Thank you."

After we finished exchanging gifts, where I also received a whole bunch of mismatched socks from Charlie as a gag gift and some fancy nail polishes from my mother, it was time for Renee and Phil to say goodbye. They had been playing nice but as soon as they left the tension left the room. Well, mostly.

Charlie and Edward sat and watched a football game on the television as I straightened up a little bit. Edward wanted to help but I told him to sit and that he had done enough for the night. I heard little bits of their conversation as I passed by them but it was nothing more than about sports.

"I'm going to the bathroom, I'll be right back," I informed them. Edward gave me a soft smile and Charlie was too engrossed in the game to notice. But my father hadn't been as oblivious as I had originally thought.

"I want to thank you," I heard him say as I moved around my bedroom for a moment. When I heard him speak, I stopped to listen more closely.

"Why, sir?" Edward asked softly.

"For not running on Bella after last night. Renee hasn't grown up a lick since we were kids and I know Bella has a lot of issues because of that. Because of her mama leaving like that she always thought she wasn't worthy of love for some damn reason. Even with Jake, she was closed off. Seems different with you."

"I love your daughter very much," Edward said quietly, making me smile brightly. "I love her and I will support her no matter what. She needed me last night and I wouldn't have been anywhere else in this world."

"Good answer, son." I could almost hear the smile in my father's voice. Then he began to chuckle. "You know, I was just fucking with you when I asked you about you and her last night. I honestly don't care, as long as you don't hurt her."

"I won't."

"Good, because if you do, I'll cut off your balls and bury them out in a cow pasture somewhere."

"Noted," Edward chuckled. I was glad my dad wasn't scaring him off with his crazy bullshit.

"Are you boys behaving in here?" I asked as I came back into the living room. My wonderful boyfriend held out his hand to me and I instantly came to sit by his side.

"Always," he whispered in my hair. Charlie smiled at me before clearing his throat.

"Well kids, I've got to get up early in the morning. I'm going to head out. Bella, thank you so much for the gifts. The hat is awesome and I needed some new socks."

"Welcome, Dad," I giggled. "I'll see you later."

As soon as the door shut behind him, I crawled onto Edward's lap and gave him a deep kiss. "Well, 'ello to you too," he chuckled, his arms going around my waist tightly.

"Thank you so much for coming here tonight. It was exactly what I needed."

He nuzzled my neck gently. "All my pleasure, I assure you."

"Edward, I have a Christmas present for you," I said quietly. "I was hoping to just show you on Christmas itself but after listening to you tonight it made me realize that I will need your help."

"Honey, you don't have to get me anything..." He began but trailed off when he saw my serious expression. "Your love is enough."

"Well, I need to express my love so _shut it_," I said, swatting his shoulder and getting up quickly. I went over to my laptop and flipped it open. "Come here."

When I brought what I was working on up, Edward's mouth dropped open. "What's this?"

"A website for your music. I've only done some basic things right now. I've worked on backgrounds, formatting, and such. I was hoping that maybe we could work together now and we could maybe put some samples of you playing. Maybe some pictures. I could put up your contract. Your rates."

"Bella, this is too much," he said quietly.

"No, it's not. It's something I can do for you with very little effort. The website itself cost me very little. You're an amazing artist with great talent. I want everyone to know that."

"This is beautiful," he mumbled, placing his hands on my shoulders.

"It's not finished yet," I said, blushing slightly. "I need to do some refinements once I get everything done. I was also hoping to get you some business cards with the website on it."

"This will bring me in so much more business," he said. Slowly he turned my chair around so that I was facing him. "Thank you so much. This is the best."

I didn't know what to say so I simply continued to blush as I worried my bottom lip. He brought his hand underneath my chin and forced me to look into his beautiful green eyes.

"I love you," I whispered softly, unable to pull my eyes away from his.

"I love you too, my darling."

**Aw, fluffy sweet chapter. **

**Reviews are the best motivation in the world. Just saying :)**

**Thanks for reading! **


	23. Chapter 23

**Who do you think you are?**

I made an appointment with my OBGYN on Monday morning. After I worked out, I went home to quickly shower and get ready. My regular doctor had a full schedule so I would be going to one of her partners. I wasn't looking forward to going to a stranger but sometimes you had to do what you had to do.

It didn't help that I waited for the doctor a good forty-five minutes before he came into the examining room. He already had a strike against him. I was just about to give up when a man rushed in, an annoyed look on his face.

"Why are you in today?" He asked, taking out a pen while looking at my file.

"Ah, several reasons. This past weekend I had to use the morning after pill and I'd like to double check that I'm not pregnant. Also, I'd like to look into some birth control. I was on the shot before and I think I'd like to go on it again," I explained quickly.

"You had unprotected sex?" He asked with a downright angry expression.

"Yes, it wasn't exactly planned. We realized a little too late but he didn't... um... finish, but I'd like to double check," I said, flushing a bright red. I wished so much I could go to my normal doctor.

"How old are you?" He asked, looking down at my file. "Thirty?"

"Yes," I said slowly.

"You are old enough to know that it is stupid to have unprotected sex. It doesn't matter if he ejaculated in you or not. Do you know the host of diseases you're most likely carrying right now?" He said, frowning deeply. The doctor was looking at me like I was a piece of dirt under his nails.

"Excuse me?" I muttered, shocked at his words.

"You're not a child. You simply can't be whoring yourself around-"

"It was with my boyfriend! This is the first time I've ever had unprotected sex!" I said, throwing my hands up.

"Yeah, sure," he muttered, writing again as he rolled his eyes. "I'm going to have a full work up on you before I proceed with anything. We'll do a pregnancy test as well. Go urinate in this cup," he said, shoving a plastic cup in my hands. "Give it to the nurse when you're done."

I almost threw it at his head. He left before I could say anything else. I threw the door open and stomped down the hall towards the bathroom. My normal doctor who insisted that I called her Heidi, came out of another room and smiled at me brightly. I had gone to her for years. "Bella! How are you and Dr. Marcus getting along?"

"He's an asshole and I'm finding another doctor," I snapped at her, mad at her for suggesting I visit him instead of going to her the following day. "Is it your policy to talk to people like their morons when they're being responsible for their bodies?"

"Oh, dear," she said quietly. "I see. How about this? I'll take over from here and I'll talk with Dr. Marcus. I'm sorry. Go ahead with what you were doing and I'll be right there."

If it was possible to 'angrily pee' I did so. I was furious. _What a jackass!_ It wasn't like he could instantly tell that I had the clap or that I was a slut or something. I had been with two men in my life. Two. That certainly didn't make me a ho.

I waited for Heidi to return, my arms crossed over my chest as I did. I will admit it. I was pouting. I just was so angry.

She was in there within five minutes, not keeping me waiting for long. "Bella, once again I am so sorry. Marcus is very strong in his beliefs and sometimes he forgets that you have to speak to people like they're humans. He is very good at what he does," she assured me. I raised an eyebrow at her, "I'll make a note in your chart to never allow him in the room with you again if you stay."

"That would be wise," I agreed.

"So, the morning after pill? That doesn't sound like you, Bella," she began. "He said something about a boyfriend."

"Yeah," I sighed quietly. "My boyfriend and I had a rather emotional night and morning and some things were said and one thing led to another. I just want to make sure, though I'm pretty positive I'm not."

"Good things or bad things said?"

"Very good," I smiled.

"Aw, that's good, sweetie. Look, I'm really sorry about Dr. Marcus and I'll make it up to you. I would like to go ahead and do a full workup, just to be on the safe side. Also, the pregnancy test. We'll have to get some blood. And you'd like to get birth control again?"

"Yes, please," I sighed softly, glad to be talking to a normal person.

By the end of the visit, I had found out that no, I was not pregnant and that I still hated shots. I had been poked several times and add that along with the asshole doctor that I was still mad at, I wasn't in a pleasant mood.

I grab a burger on the way home with a large fry, just wanting to eat something not green for a change. I had been so good but I was so stressed.

I was about to take a bite of my burger when the phone rang. And when I saw who was on the caller ID I wanted to scream. Or maybe throw the phone.

Lauren Crowley. _Blarg. Just, blah! _

"Hello?"

"What the hell is this?" She began right away.

"Excuse me?"

"I wanted this done as soon as possible. You said that you could do it in-"

"I said it would take several weeks to do all the changes. I have done a lot of the things you asked already and your husband has already approved. He also said he understood that they would take time."

"YOU WILL DEAL WITH ME, NOT HIM! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME? He is an old coot who doesn't know what's going on most of the time. I will not let you take advantage of him and let you get away without doing your job."

The only good about her being on the phone was that I couldn't punch her. _But, I can do this... _

"Look, you stupid plastic gold digging ho bag. I do my job. I do it well. Your husband, the owner of the company, said it was fine. But, you know what!? If I have to deal with your stupid ass than your business isn't worth it. I'm shutting down the site and you can find someone else to do it. And by the way, before you say _'I'll tell my lawyers'_," I said in a nasally voice like hers, "you should know that this is totally within my rights in my contract. In the contract that _your husband_ signed. So, you know what, bitch? Kiss my ass!"

I clicked the phone off and slammed it onto my coffee table.

After pushing my burger away I took a deep breath to keep myself from crying. I felt so frustrated and tired and it was barely noon. And I felt out of control. And I hated that. It had been the first time in a long time that I had really felt that way.

But had I been in control at all? I had just been letting things happen to me. I had been letting Edward and Alice fill in the blanks for me. Once again I had just been letting things happen to me and not taking control. I needed the wake-up call.

With pride, I scratched off _'tell someone off that I hate' _on my list. I was also determined to do something else. _Screw work for today._ I was going to work on the Crowley account anyway. And I never played hooky.

I examined my list for a long moment before I decided on what I wanted to do. I needed something fun and I needed something relaxing.

So, I called up Edward.

"Ello, love," Edward said brightly into the phone. I could practically feel his joyfulness. It was a nice feeling. "I thought you were working. Everything okay?" He asked, getting more serious.

"I just had a shit day. But, I have a bit of good news."

"What's that?"

"Well, it's two things really. In a few days, we won't need condoms and I did something off my list."

"Oh? What's that, my love?" He asked. I was surprised he didn't say anything about the condoms.

"I told someone off. And I'd like to take something else off. How would you like to go to Ripley's believe it or not with me?"

"Ah, well, um... Well, Tanya is babysitting Bridget and I'm babysitting Tanya."

"I don't need a babysitter!" I heard a female voice shout in the background.

"So you say," Edward muttered back to them, his hand over the phone and poorly hiding the voice. I could hear Bridget laughing in the background.

"So that's why you didn't say anything about the condoms," I snickered.

"Exactly but let me tell you… That development is _extremely_ pleasing. Now if you want I can drop Tanya off and I can meet you or-"

"No! Bring them along. Does Bridget or Tanya need to be home at any certain time?"

"No, Tanya is on Christmas break and we're just watching Bridget to give Emmett a break. Let me ask them if they want to go, okay?"

I heard the phone move and some mumbling, then I heard some female cheering. I chuckled. I needed that. "I guess that's a yes?"

"Yes, ma'am. Why don't I take the girls over to your place and get you? Your car is bigger and it'll be more comfortable."

"If you had a real car this wouldn't be a problem!" I heard Tanya yell in the background. Bridget laughed loudly.

"Sounds great. Hurry over," I said briskly.

"Bella, are you okay?" He asked softly. "I mean, we don't have to do anything today. You sound stressed. You shouldn't push yourself."

"Edward, I need to have fun. I need to play hooky. I need _you_. Please?"

"Alright. I love you."

There was a loud round of 'aw' in the background with smooching noises. I giggled, "I love you, too. See you in a few."

Once Edward got there we did the amazing task of switching everyone over to my car. We had to put Bridget's car seat in which I had no idea how to do. Thank God that Edward did. Then we had to childproof the doors. It took me ten minutes just how to figure out how to do that.

Finally, after thirty minutes, we were on the road. The museum was just outside of Dallas, not too far from Six Flags the amusement park. As I drove past it, I considered adding that to my list. The place was done up all for Christmas. Maybe Edward and I could take Bridget and Tanya.

Much to Edward's annoyance I paid for all the tickets. There were four attractions all together but we decided that the laser race was a bit advanced for Bridget and we didn't think she would be interested in the wax museum either even if I was. We could come back and do that another day. What we did purchase was tickets to the actual Ripley's museum and a Mirror Maze.

"CAN WE GO TO THE GIFT SHOP!?" Bridget shrieked loudly as soon as we got inside. Edward chuckled, pulling the girl into his arms.

"How about this? If you're a very good girl while we're here, I'll get you something. How does that sound?"

"Good!"

"But, that means no running off and listening to me, Tanya, and Bella. Got me?"

"I gotcha," she said, leaning her head backward and rolling her eyes. She got distracted at that point at looking at the ceiling. That was a three year old for you.

"Thanks for inviting us," Tanya said as we wandered through the place looking at all the oddities. Edward was being dragged around by Bridget, her tiny fingers gripping him tightly. She was forcing him to read every single sign in the place and explain it to her. Though I doubted she understood a lot of it, she seemed to be having a ton of fun just listening to Edward talk.

"Oh, you're welcome. I've always wanted to come," I shrugged. "When I was younger we didn't have the money to go and when I got older I thought it was just for kids. It's really not. I'm glad I came. Though, it does make it more fun to go with you guys."

She smiled at me widely, her braces which were done in Christmas colors shined at me. Once again she was sporting pigtails and a Hello Kitty Shirt. But she was wearing a denim skirt and a pair of cowboy boots. The style totally clashed but I don't think she cared at all. She was very secure in herself.

I was a little jealous of that. I wanted to ask her secret but I wouldn't have been surprised if she didn't know. Maybe it was just her personality.

Bridget's favorite part of the whole place was a room where you could experience 'tornado force' winds. We must have stayed in there twenty minutes. Tanya held onto Bridget, playing around and flapping their arms like they were flying. Edward and I stayed by the railing, watching them, his arm wrapped around my waist. When my hair whipped around my face he delicately pulled it away from my skin and leaned in to kiss my lips.

The kiss was slow, sweet, with a promise of passion just underneath the surface. It would have continued if we didn't hear 'ew' being said by two children. Edward pulled away and raised an eyebrow at Tanya. She snorted, saying _ew _again and turning a shade of pink.

"Kisses are yucky. That's what daddy says," Bridget said matter of factly as we finally left the room.

"Is that the truth?" Edward asked, trying to hold in his laughter.

"Yes. Daddy says I can never kiss any boys."

"Can you give me kisses?" He asked, kneeling down in front of her and giving her puppy dog eyes and that pouty look that could have melted the coldest of people.

"Of course! I can kiss you! You're not a boy!" She said, throwing her arms around his neck.

Edward frowned a little bit, especially when Tanya and I started laughing. He turned to look at us quickly, giving us the evil eye. We tried to stop laughing but it didn't really work.

"You two are awful!" He scolded us, carrying Bridget again.

When we finally finished the tour of Ripley's we visited the Mirror Maze. Tanya and Bridget ran ahead, making hilarious faces in the glass. Since it was a Monday there was hardly anyone there. It was nice. Edward and I strolled hand and hand, just enjoying being together.

"So, you told someone off?" He asked quietly. We could hear the girls ahead of us but I knew they weren't paying any attention to us.

"Yeah. This blond bimbo. Her husband owns a company and I did the website for them. She was making some really irrational demands and she talked to me like I was dirt. So, I told her off. If she was in person and not on the phone I would have beaten her up."

"I'm glad she wasn't then. I would have hated bailing you out of jail." He smiled at me charmingly. "Is that it? Is there more bothering you?"

"I had to go to another doctor and he gave me a lecture. It was really... _rude_. I don't know. It just pissed me off. My normal doctor took back over though and we got everything done that we needed to do. And shots and needles don't put me in a good mood."

"What kind of lecture?"

"About being responsible. It kind of made me wake up though. I'm just letting things happen to me like before and I don't want that. I need to take control and that's what I'm going to do. It's my list and as much as I love your help, I do need to put in more effort," I said quietly.

"You know I love helping you," he said as he rubbed my back.

"I know. And you don't know how good that makes me feel. I need to accept help from others but I also need to take the lead. Don't stop helping," I said quietly, running my fingers over his cheeks.

He turned me around so that I was facing him. "I'll never stop."

I could only imagine how it looked in the mirrors as we kissed. I almost wished I could. Not enough to take my focus off the kiss, but almost.

"Okay, jeez! Get a room!" Tanya said, interrupting us again.

"Why would they need a room?" Bridget asked, getting confused. "Aren't they in a room?"

"Say nothing," Edward said, pointing to Tanya. She smiled at him innocently. "Don't listen to Tanya. She's silly."

Bridge shrugged her shoulders, rolling her eyes at the strange adults before going forward without us. Edward poked Tanya sharply in the back. "Ow," she squealed.

"You behave. I don't want her going home saying anything dirty. Rosalie would have my nuts," he warned her, making both of us laugh. "You know she'd blame me because apparently, I'm the adult."

"I can't imagine why she'd think that," Tanya said smartly, swinging her hips as she walked away. To say she had a little bit of attitude was an understatement.

Edward ended up chasing her through the rest of the maze, making her squeal with laughter. Bridget came to me, holding my hand. "They're both silly," she said, wrinkling her nose. I could see so much of Rose in her when she said that.

"They are, but they're having fun."

After the mirrors, we headed to the gift shop. I bought Bridget and Tanya a tee shirt while Edward bought them each little toys. Tanya got a weird looking magnet paperweight and Bridget got a coloring pad with markers. Edward also bought me an oddly shaped flash drive. It made me giggle and think about our first night together.

And that thought made me warm all over. But I would have to push that away for later.

When we finally got into the car it was just after five in the evening. The first thing Bridget did when the doors closed was say, "I'm hungry."

"Me too," I said, thinking about my forgotten lunch. "Rosalie will be home soon," I thought out loud as I looked at the clock. "Edward, why don't you call Emmett and let him know that we're taking her out to dinner. They can have a romantic evening or something."

"He'll love that," Edward answered, smiling. "I'll call. You girls figure out a place."

"I want some Fredo!" Bridget said, clapping her hands happily. I looked at Tanya for guidance.

"I think she means Alfredo. She likes pasta," she shrugged. "Fine with me. Olive Garden?"

"Yay!" Bridget said, clapping her hands again. "They have the yummy bread."

"Yes, Em, I'm serious. Enjoy a couple of hours to yourselves. Yes. Have fun," Edward said, rolling his eyes as he spoke to Emmett on the phone. "No, not tonight. I would let her spend the night but I have to work in the morning. Maybe once I get back from the UK? Alright, man. I'll call you when we're on our way back."

"Olive Garden, okay?" I asked when he finally got off the phone.

"Yum," he smiled. "Sounds great."

I had never gone out to eat with a kid before, even if I used to watch them. Bridget got a high chair, having a ton of fun scribbling on her menu before working on the gift Edward got her from Ripley's. Bridget ordered her 'Fredo' rather enthusiastically and loudly. Tanya had cheese ravioli with soup. Edward and I ordered soup and salad.

When we got our salad I fixed Bridget some as well. She ended up picking out all the lettuce and eating only the croûtons, tomatoes, and olives.

About halfway through her pasta, she began to nod off. But, it was no wonder. It was close to seven at night. I was feeling pretty tired myself. Just in the nick of time, Edward moved her bowl so that she could fall asleep with her head on the table and not in her pasta.

Edward paid for dinner. I didn't even fight him over it. Though, I did slip a little bit more of a tip on the table because of the mess we left behind. Three-year-olds are not very neat eaters.

"Edward, I need to go potty," Bridget mumbled sleepily in his arms as we walked towards the exit.

"I'll take her," I offered but he waved me off.

"I got it. We'll be right back."

"Eddie's going to make a great dad," Tanya said as we watched them go.

"He will be."

"Do you want kids?" She asked me. I had to think about it for a minute.

"With the right guy, yes. You know, before I wasn't so sure. But with a guy like Edward, I think I'd like to."

Edward came out with Bridget staggering drunkenly behind. He gave me a bright smile that I couldn't help but return. She was asleep as soon as she was in her car seat.

We decided to drop off Tanya at her dad's first to give Emmett and Rosalie a little bit more time. When we finally arrived at their place, a modest place in a nice neighborhood, it was nearly nine. The day had just flown by.

"Thank you so much," Rosalie said as she took Bridget from my arms. Emmett took the car seat from Edward. They both looked very happy and relaxed.

I could only guess what they did. It was something I hoped I would be doing later that night.

"It was our pleasure. Did you have a good evening?" Edward asked with a little grin.

"It was fantastic." She looked at Emmett lovingly. "We'll get this one to bed. You two have a good night."

"Would you like to stay tonight?" I asked Edward when we got on the road again. It was about a fifteen-minute drive to my apartment. "Maybe we could drop by your place and pick your suit up and your instruments. It's on the way."

"Sounds good," he agreed quickly.

"You know, you should just keep some clothes at my place. It would be easier."

"Maybe that's something we should work on after London," he said, sliding his hand onto my lap. "This next week is going to be crazy. I've got to work almost non stop the next two days and then my parents are coming in after that. Christmas after that. What are you doing Christmas, anyway?"

"I was hoping I was spending it with you if that's okay. Charlie is working since we already exchanged gifts. He wants to give people who have kids a break, you know," I told him.

"Good," he sighed softly. I looked at him curiously and he just smiled. "I have a couple of gifts I want to give you."

"You don't have to get me anything else," I said, rolling my eyes. "London is enough."

"It will never be enough," he said, bringing his hand up to his mouth. A warmth spread over my skin as he kissed my knuckles. "By the way, thanks for today."

"Hm?"

"I got to spend today having fun with my three favorite girls. It doesn't get much better than that. I hope we can do that again soon. Maybe go to the zoo or something."

I looked over at Edward as we stopped in front of his apartment. When I looked at him I didn't see the twenty-five-year-old boy but a husband in the future. And as a dad just wanting the best for his kids. A man that was full of love and had a good spirit.

I took his face in between my hand and kissed him lightly. "Nothing would give me more pleasure."

**Ah, she finally told Lauren off. And fuck that doctor. I had a high and mighty doctor. **

**Any of y'all ever gone to a Ripley's? The one in Arlington is fun. **

**Thanks for reading! **


	24. Chapter 24

**So not how I planned this**

It was two days before Christmas and I was in Edward's kitchen listening to Irish punk music while Edward cooked Mexican food for his English Father and Texas-born mother.

I don't think I had ever been so confused.

Or amused.

Or nervous.

I had done all the chopping Edward would allow so I was sitting on the countertop, watching him cook chicken and make guacamole at the same time. He was far more talented than I was.

"So, is there anything I need to know about your parents?" I asked him the same question he asked me the week before.

"My mother is loud. But she's got a heart of gold. My father is quiet but very good natured. They're both blunt and to the point though. So, that may have been where I got that from," he chuckled sweetly, brushing some of his bright red hair out of his eyes. "They're really young at heart. They're fun. They'll love you."

"I hope so." I frowned slightly.

"They will," he assured me. He dunked a Dorito into the green goo and brought it to my lips. "Try this. My mom is allergic to peppers so I don't make it spicy. Is it good?"

"Mm," I said, chewing it down quickly. It was really good as a matter of fact. Edward was going all out making queso sauce and guacamole with nacho chips, which apparently was his mother's favorite. He was also making quesadillas with homemade refried beans and Spanish rice. For dessert, we were having vanilla ice cream topped with homemade dulce de leche.

He ate a chip himself, nodding his head before flipping the chicken. In another pan, he started cooking onions with garlic and then in another he cooked some mushrooms. My stomach was starting to rumble.

"Can I do _anything_?" I asked in a rather whiny voice. I didn't like feeling useless. I had already tidied up his apartment, not that there was a lot to do. He was pretty neat normally. I had already set the table as well.

"Make Pina Coladas. My mum loves them and they should be here in a few minutes. All the makings are in the fridge and freezer. My blender is in that cabinet," he said, pointing with his foot as he stirred with something. It was so cute.

I put the tasty green goo in the fridge while I was at it before beginning my work on the white creamy drinks. It was probably just what I needed to help me with my nerves.

I put the ice in the blender with the rum and coconut mix, holding the plate on the top before I turned it on. Apparently, Edward had accidentally warped the normal top on the stove one day. I would have to get him a new one.

The noise was so loud. I guess that's why we didn't hear the knock on the door.

"Edward?" Someone appeared in the doorway of the kitchen. I was so intent on my work that I was surprised and jumped, making a little squeaking noise. Also in my surprise, I let go of the plate and the cold mixture went everywhere.

Well, everywhere all over me.

Edward quickly turned it off, getting a towel. "I am so sorry!" The woman with bright red hair said, coming over to me quickly. "I didn't mean to surprise you, darlin," she said her accent thick. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I said, taking the towel from Edward and wiping my face. It was all over my clothes.

"What the hell is going on here?" A very handsome blond man appeared in the doorway. "Esme, what did you do? I told you to wait! Impatient woman."

"I surprised her," she began to giggle. "Oh, dear! I am so sorry. You must be Bella."

"It's okay," I said, giving Edward's mother a weak smile. "Hi," I said, offering her my hand after I cleaned it off. "We made you pina coladas."

That made the entire kitchen laugh. Even me. Even if I was horrified at being a mess in front of his mother. I wanted so much to make a good impression.

"Bella, this is my mother Esme and my dad, Carlisle," Edward introduced us with a smile.

"Boy, go get this girl cleaned up! I'll man the kitchen," Esme said. "We'll be here once you get sorted out."

Without a word Edward took me into his bedroom before he began to laugh, "are you okay?"

"I am so embarrassed," I muttered, laying my head on his chest. He rubbed my back carefully.

"If it makes you feel any better, you smell great."

I laughed, swatting his chest playfully. He took my hand with a smile and kissed it lightly. "I need a shower, I think. It's in my hair."

"Go ahead and take one. Dinner will be done by the time you come out. Let me get you a shirt and some sleep pants."

"Just the impression I wanted to make on your parents."

"Love, it's okay," he chuckled, running his fingers over my cheek. "It could have been worse. It's okay. I think my mom already likes you. Now, go on. Take a shower. I'll leave you some clothes on the bed."

I showered quickly and for the life of me, I couldn't find a hairdryer. I decided just to do the best I could, throwing my hair up in a ponytail and put on the clothes that Edward provided with me. He put me in a very comfortable long-sleeved blue shirt and a pair of flannel pajama pants. When I came back into the tiny dining room Edward and his dad were putting things on the table, just chatting away.

"Yeah, we had a bit of a row with this daft bastard who was about half way round the bend," the handsome blond man laughed, "I'll never forget the way your mum was yelling at him in bad Italian. He thought she was barking!"

"Dad, you're as bad as a couple of teenagers," Edward rolled his eyes. "Nothing happened did it?"

"Oh, no. I had to drag your mum away though, just hissing and spitting. Apparently, it's unwise to insult Americans when she's thrown back a few."

I stood there, just listening and smiling. Edward finally noticed my reappearance and walked over to me, pulling me into his arms. He spoke softly into my hair. "Feel better?"

"A little," I replied back. I cleared my throat, turning my attention to Edward's dad, "Dr. Cullen."

"I'm retired. Carlisle, please," he said, shaking my hand softly but briskly.

"Oh, there you are, Bella! Feel better now that you're clean?" Esme came out of the kitchen with two glasses in her hand. She handed me one. "The fruits of your labor. It's really good, darlin."

If it weren't so cold, I would have drunk it down all in one big gulp.

"Dinner is almost all ready. What would you like on your quesadilla?" Edward asked gently, his hand rubbing my back lightly.

"A little of everything."

"See, Carlisle! I'm not the only one that wants 'all that mess' on mine. It's good like that."

"I'm not saying it's not." He rolled his eyes. "I'm just saying that it's a bit too much."

It was kind of cute to listen to them bicker back and forth in their very different accents.

Once everything was on the table and everyone was sitting, Esme smiled at me warmly. "Emmett was right, Edward. She is just beautiful."

I flushed a bright red, taking a quick bite of my dinner. Edward placed a gentle hand on my knee, squeezing it gently. "I know. What else did dear Uncle Emmett say?"

"That Bridget just loves her!" Esme leaned in close to me. "That's a very good sign in my book, darlin."

I giggled, "I'm very glad. I like Bridget a lot too. So, how are you liking being back in England?"

"We're not there that often." Esme smiled wistfully. "In the past six months, we've been to France and Italy. Oh and we went to Normandy. Lovely countries. Good to be back in the states though. You can not get good Mexican food like this."

"Like it?" Edward smiled with a bright smile. I could tell that he wanted the approval of his parents. I knew the feeling.

"Oh, honey! You know I do. How many times have I told you that you should be a chef?" She asked him.

"And how many times have I told you that I don't want to be seven hundred pounds." Edward rolled his eyes, putting some of the beans on his plate. "I don't think I could get a woman like Bella if I were."

I put my hand on his, getting his attention. "Edward, I wouldn't care what you looked like. As long as you were happy and I was by your side."

And there, in front of his parents, he took my face in his hands and kissed me deeply. His mother squealed loudly while his father went 'hush it, Mae,' quietly. I pulled away first, flushing a bright red color. I cleared my throat, picking up a bowl. "Chips?"

After dinner, we settled around his living room. Edward sat in his old rocking chair while I rested at his feet, my head on his knees. He stroked my hair gently, just chatting away with his parents.

This was how a meeting of the parents supposed to go. Well, mostly.

"So, are there any places in London you'd like to see while you're there, Bella?" Carlisle asked, pulling me into the conversation.

"Tower of London," I said, nodding my head. "I realize it's very touristy, but I've always wanted to see the crown jewels."

"It's been ages since I've been there," Esme said, smiling. "Since before I met Carlisle. I think that'd be a fun trip for everyone."

"I want to take you to Hyde Park and the Kensington Gardens and show you the statue of Peter Pan," Edward said wistfully. "You remind me a bit of Wendy. Stubborn and feisty, but very gentle." He was being both cute, nerdy, and flirty.

"You two are so cute together!" Esme said, sighing loudly. "Any chance of grandbabies any time soon?"

Charlie hinted. This was not a hint. Well, Edward did say that they were blunt. I looked up at Edward and even he looked horrified and totally surprised.

"Mother, really!" He said, covering his eyes.

"What? I can ask, can't I? I'm not getting any younger. And you two would make such beautiful babies."

"Well, um," I said, looking anywhere but at a person, I began to stutter. "Well, I can assure you that I'm not pregnant at this _exact_ moment. I'm very very sure of that."

Edward was the first to get what I was hinting at. I had barely seen him, let alone talked to him in the past two days. His mouth made a little O and he nodded his head quickly. I hadn't brought it up to him and I really didn't know how to. Then Esme figured it out. Finally, Carlisle said, "why are you _so_ very sure?"

Wasn't he a doctor?

"She's wearing her passion killers," Esme explained to him. Edward groaned loudly, covering his face with both of his hands. Carlisle got it right away but I was totally confused.

"What?"

"Passion killers are what some Brits call very ugly women's underwear," Edward explained. "One might wear them when they're..." he blanched slightly, "well, you know. If they were having that time of the month."

Well, paint me embarrassed and horrified.

"Can I get you anything, dear?" Esme asked gently. Like I was ill and I was going to die at any moment.

"Another drink. A big one. With lots of liquor."

"I am so embarrassed." Edward slammed his head against the door several times after his parents walked out. "I am so sorry."

"You saw my mom at her best... Trust me, this is nothing," I teased him. "Come here. It's okay."

He came into my outstretched arms, resting his face in between my breasts as he rested on his knees in front of me on the floor. I laughed loudly at his current position, rubbing the back of his head. "She brought up periods and grandchildren in the same breath. Honestly, only my mum would do that."

"By the way, is that whole passion killers phrase normal?" I asked. He shook his head, not removing himself from between my breasts.

"It's something between my mum and my dad. Apparently, it's a long story that I do not want to even think on. Ever. I am so sorry," he said, sitting up again. "Do you still want to go to London with me? I'd understand if you didn't."

"Edward," I giggled, "they were _fine._ Honey, I still want to go with you. Trust me. I embarrass myself more all the time. Besides, I need you to be my guide. I didn't understand half the things your dad said."

"I'm just your translator now?" He smiled up at me.

"A very sexy one." I wiggled my eyebrows at him. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer to him.

"Is that so?"

"Yup," I said, going around the back of his thigh and squeezed his ass gently. He chuckled and got an evil twinkle in his eyes.

"Well, I know I can't get a shag from ya, but maybe I can you get into the sack for a bit of a snog?" He said, smiling at me in his shit eating crooked grin.

"You know, I'm not that dense. I do know what that means." I rolled my eyes at him. "I have seen Harry Potter after all."

"Well, if you know how to snog, show me." He smiled at me cockily, trying not to laugh. We were both being stupid.

Just for that I shoved him onto the floor rather roughly and straddled his waist. Wrapping my fingers tightly around the back of his neck, I kissed him fiercely. He moaned into my mouth, quickly changing our positions so that he was on top of me. "How was that?" I asked him, panting.

"That'll do," he said before kissing me again. We made out on his floor for an hour.

I went over to my father's for Christmas Eve. He had to work on Christmas and Edward was spending time with his family. His entire family. Apparently, there was a big family party on Christmas Eve and Christmas day was reserved for visiting the other side of the family if they had them. Edward and I were going to have breakfast with his parents before they went to spend Christmas with his Grandparents.

I wasn't sure what Edward and I were going to do that evening, but I was positive we could find something to entertain ourselves.

I made dinner for Charlie in his tiny cabin. It was where I grew up and sometimes I missed it, how homey it was, but I was glad to have my own space.

I made us Italian for dinner, the best I could anyway. Charlie didn't mind either way. He just loved to eat.

"Have you spoke to your mama any?" He asked, cutting into his chicken. I raised an eyebrow at him and he smirked slightly. "No, then?"

"I asked her to leave me alone for a little while," I sighed, picking up my sweet tea and swishing around the ice. "That I wouldn't be able to play nice for a while."

"Birdie, baby, don't let this go on too long, okay? We... neither one of us have much family in this world left. Me and your mom, I wish there was more. But, we're all you've got left in this world."

"I know, Daddy," I sighed. "I'm tired of being the parent in that relationship though. I'm past that. I just want her to be normal for once."

"That woman hasn't been normal a day in her life, but she's a part of you. You haven't always done what's normal. It made you... _you_. I know she's crazy. I know she's completely bat shit, but she does love you."

"I love you," I said, squeezing his hand gently. "You've gotten wise in your years."

He chuckled, "am I that old now? My goodness. I thought I was still pretty spry. Anyway, how did meeting the parents go?"

I groaned loudly, "so embarrassing. I mean, not as bad as Renee..."

"Nothing is as bad as Renee," he laughed. "What happened?"

"I got covered in liquor and coconut when Esme surprised me. I then had to shower and wear some of Edward's clothing because I got it all over me and then she brought up things I'd rather not talk about."

"Like what?" He asked out of curiosity.

"Things I'd rather not talk about," I said firmly, but he just smirked. I would lose this argument. "Grandchildren. Not on the sly either, like you did. All blunt and in the public."

"When did I mention grandchildren?" He said, eying me.

"Don't look at me like that, old man. You know when you did. You might think you're sneaky but you're not. At all. Young blood, ah huh," I said, pointing at him with a fork. He blushed slightly, giving me an innocent smile.

"What? I ain't getting any younger. And grandkids would be nice. I mean, whenever you're ready, of course."

"You sound like an old woman." I rolled my eyes at him. "I can't promise you anything. Maybe one day."

"I hope so," he said softly. "Having a child is by far the best thing in life. It's the best thing I've done in _my_ life."

I reached over and hugged him gently. He smiled, lightly kissing my cheek before patting my back. "Come on, our food is getting cold."

And like that, our warm moment passed but it wasn't forgotten.

After my early evening with Charlie, I decided to go by Alice's and Jasper's to give them their gift. I wouldn't get a chance on Christmas since they would be with their families and then I would be out of town for a week. It would probably be my only chance to.

"Hey!" Jasper said brightly as he opened the door, giving me a big hug. "Long time no see."

"Because you work too much," I complained. He nodded his head thoughtfully and smiled.

"But, after Christmas things will slow down and get back to normal. The bakery is done and the hardest of the work is over. By the way, how did you like the cake Alice brought you?"

"It was amazing. A bit big though. I couldn't eat it all. I don't want to get chunky again," I told him and he rolled his eyes playfully as he led me into the living room where Alice sat.

"Girl, you look great. Being thin is all well and good but if you don't enjoy life, what's the point?"

"Trust me, I'm enjoying life," I informed him. "Now, who wants to go first?" I asked, pulling a present from either side of my leather jacket.

"Oh! Me, me, me!" Alice hopped up. "Jasper, go get Bella's present from underneath the tree."

"You didn't have to get me anything."

"And you didn't have to get us anything either. It's because we love you," Alice said, giving me a hug before pointing at the tiny boxes. "Which is mine?"

I held up the smaller of the boxes as she gave a little squeal that she loved to do so much. She opened it quickly to find a friendship bracelet inside. It was on a little sterling silver chain link bracelet with a little heart. On hers was etched 'best'. I lifted up mine and showed it to her. It said 'friends'.

"Is this Tiffany's?" She asked quickly as she put it on.

"It is. I picked them up today. I was almost worried that I wouldn't get them in time." I smiled. "I had a moment of inspiration and I decided to get this. Do you like it?"

"Oh!" She said, throwing herself at me. "I love it! Thank you."

"I hope Jasper likes his just as much," I said, handing him the box. "Merry Christmas, Jazz."

He opened it up and smiled brightly. "Nice."

He slipped on the silver watch with the bright red-orange face. "It's jasper, like the stone," I told him, pointing to the face. "I saw it in a specialty shop while shopping with Alice and Rose. Do you like it?"

"Girl, you are so thoughtful," he said, hugging me tightly. He kissed the top of my head before handing me a decent sized box.

When I opened my gift, I was totally confused. "What is this?"

It looked like a memo holder that a teacher would use by far more high tech. It was black and pretty solid.

"It's a digital notepad with memory and everything. You can handwrite your notes when you go out with clients and then when you get home you can just hook this baby up and boom, they're right there waiting for you. How fun is that?" Alice said, giggling. I smiled, hugging her tightly.

"This is awesome."

"We got Edward one too," Jasper smiled slightly. "He hasn't gotten it yet though, so don't tell him."

"I won't. This is so cool. This will be pretty helpful."

Jasper clapped his hands together. "Good! Now that we've got that out of the way, who's ready for fruitcake?"

Alice and I looked at each other, a similar smirk spreading across both of our lips.

"Is it better than the prune cake?"

"Am I NEVER going to live that down? HONESTLY!" He said, throwing his hands up in the air as he stomped towards the kitchen. Alice took my arm, chuckling as we followed behind.

It was probably the best fruitcake that I had ever had.

**This is a very charming Jasper. He's fun. **

**If you're still enjoying this story please let me know! And let me know who's reading for the first time. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	25. Chapter 25

**Showers that dreams are made of**

Though Edward wasn't with me that night, I was feeling pretty good about life. Renee even respected my wishes and simply sent me a short email wishing me a good Christmas and told me to have fun in London. She also said that she hoped that I would take pictures.

I would take tons. I had gotten several storage cards for my digital camera just for the occasion.

It had been a long time since I had any dreams. Well, since I remembered them clearly. Usually, it was just bits and pieces of stories and feelings.

_I wasn't exactly sure where we were exactly, Edward and I. I just knew it was comfortable where I was. We were laying in a bright red room, it almost reminded me of a place they would show in the movies whenever they talked about harems. Soft beds, deep colors, lots of pillows and silk curtains. Edward was shirtless and sans shoes, looking beautiful and comfortable. I was wearing... __**nothing**__. _

_Neither of us seemed to mind. _

"_You look beautiful," Edward said breathlessly, running his finger leisurely over my stomach. _

_I ignored is sweet words as I bit my bottom lip, gently running my finger over his stomach. He had a few scars on his hips and the faded remains of stretch marks on his lower stomach, though we never spoke about them. I had marks, he had is. _

_And I was okay with that. _

_I moved down his stomach, tracing the marks with my lips. "I love you just the way you are. I love you for who you are," I told him firmly, nuzzling his belly button. Light wisps of red hair tickled my nose, making me smile. "I wasn't lying."_

"_When?" He asked, running his fingers through my hair. _

"_When I said I'd love you no matter what you looked like. I wish... I almost wish that, I..." I stuttered. _

"_What, my darling?" He asked, looking down at me with those large green eyes. They were so sweet. They were so loving. _

_They were indeed the windows of his soul. His soul was bright and beautiful. _

"_I wish I knew you before. I wish I met you sooner, so I could show you. It doesn't matter what you look like, now or then."_

"_I loved you before you changed," he whispered into my ear after pulling me up to his body. His arms wrapped around mine, kissing my shoulder. "I loved your full body. I wish I could help you mark that off your list."_

"_Mark what?"_

"_Loving yourself."_

"_You're helping," I assured him. "More than anyone else before. I don't think I could fall in love with you if I didn't love myself at least a little bit."_

_"You are a wonderful woman, and I intend to marry you one day," he breathed. I pulled back and looked at him in surprise. He was completely serious. _

"_Not too soon though, right?" I said, frowning slightly. Edward chuckled, kissing the top of my head. _

"_Not, not too soon. When the time is right, both of us will know. You'll know."_

_"Good," I said, snuggling my face into his chest. He rubbed my back, and it almost felt real. I pressed my face deeper into his sweet smelling skin. _

"Bella," the whispering got a bit louder. "Bella, my love. Are you awake?"

"No," I mumbled. "I thought that was rather obvious."

My bed began to rumble with laughter. "You're adorable."

"You're pretty cute," I said, kissing his chest. I mean, really kissing his chest. I looked up slowly in confusion, my eyes crusted with sleep. And there Edward was, laying in my bed shirtless. I glanced over at the clock, it was five in the morning. "What are you doing here?"

"Surprising you," he said. "It seems like you started the conversation without me though," he teased. "What were you dreaming about?"

"I have no earthly idea," I said, closing my eyes and laying my head back onto his stomach. "Merry Christmas."

"Happy Christmas, my love," he said, kissing the top of my head. "I hope you don't mind me being here. I wanted to open our Christmas gifts in private."

"I love you being here. I always prefer you being with me. I thought you were a dream," I said, kissing his chest again lightly. He was salty sweet, and I traced my fingers along his ribs.

"You are my dream."

Bella Jell-O pile of love goo all over the place, gah- _sigh. _

"Ugh, can't we just stay in bed all day and make love?"

"Can you?" He asked shyly. I blushed slightly but nodded, _thank god._ He groaned, putting his head on my shoulder. "That's so cruel. I'd love to."

"We don't have to be anywhere until nine," I told him smoothly, kissing over to the side to his nipple. I flicked it with my tongue playfully, making him buck up towards me. "We have time."

"Yes, but I would like to give you presents first," he said, running his hand over my back. I ignored him, pulling his nipple into my mouth and suck on it- hard. He hissed, knotting his fingers into my hair. "Oh, god... baby, please..."

"Please, what?" I asked innocently.

"Behave," he pouted. "I had this all planned out, and it's not working out that way at all."

"I like my way better," I said, kissing downwards. If he liked the nipple teasing, he was going to love what I had in store for him next.

But somehow I ended up sitting up against the headboard beside a somewhat frustrated looking Edward.

"Woman, work with me here. Behave, please?"

"I was behaving," I said, crossing my arms and frowning. We hadn't had sex in a grand total of seven days, and I was getting slightly... very... _extremely_... horny.

"Badly," he chuckled. "Be good for now, and I promise to make it worth your while. Now, may I give you your presents now?"

"You shouldn't have gotten me anything else, Edward," I complained. He gave me a pointed look, but I continued, "the flight to London was so much."

"I have more than enough for the flight to London and for this. I've got a good deal in savings. Now, shut up," he said, pulling two boxes from beside the bed. One was a shoebox size, and the other was tiny.

And looked like a ring box.

"This one first," he said, setting the smallest on my lap. "I think you'll like it."

"Is it jewelry?" I asked, picking it up slowly.

"Open it and find out."

"Edward-"

"Isabella!" He laughed, "open it. I swear..." He shook his head.

I popped the top off the tiny box, and inside was a very nice felt box. I gasped softly, looking over at him. He rolled his eyes but smiled. "What did you do?"

"Open. It."

As soon as I did, I giggled.

"A mood ring?" I laughed, "really?"

"Yes," he chuckled. "I saw it and thought of you. Sometimes I feel like I need something to help me figure out your moods. Maybe this will help. Now, may I put this ring on your lovely hand?"

I gave him my right hand, and he slid it on smoothly. "Thank you, it's adorable."

"Now, see, that wasn't so bad, now was it?" He chuckled.

"No, not at all," I smiled at him innocently. "I'm sorry I'm such a bad sport."

"It's just the way you are," he said, taking my hand and lightly kissing the top of it. "Now, ready for your present and promise to be a good girl about it?"

"Yes, I promise," I pouted at him playfully. I held out my hands, and he gave the box to me. It was oddly lightly for being the size it was.

I ripped open the paper, and sure enough, it was a shoebox. I opened the box, and there was another box inside nestled in tissue paper. And then another. And then another. And finally another, a much smaller one. I pulled out the box and opened it.

Inside were earrings. Pretty white gold ones with a square black stone.

"They're a half carat of black diamonds," Edward said as he took one of them from my palm. He gently pushed my hair behind my ear and slipped in the earring. He kissed my ear as I sat there speechless. He had completely surprised me. He turned my chin so that he could get to the other ear, sliding it in with an amount of grace that I normally didn't have. "They're not the finest jewelry in the world, and I wish I could have gotten you more. Don't worry, these weren't hugely expensive. But when I saw them though I wanted to see them on you. Do you like them?"

I touched my ears slowly, blushing as I looked down at my lap. It was an extraordinarily thoughtful and beautiful gift, and he totally threw me off guard with the mood ring.

He knew what he was doing, and he was good at it.

_Dammit_.

So, instead of saying anything I went to my closet and pulled out my gifts for him. Nothing amazing. But I knew one of them would have great value to him.

"Here," I said, handing him the white box with the big blue bow on it. "This is for you."

He smiled widely when he opened it. It was the cards I bought him, pretty black with silver writing on them. They had all his information, including the new website that I was able to launch the night before. "These are lovely, Bella. Thank you."

"Do you like them?"

"I'll tell you the answer if you give me yours. Do you like the earrings? If not, I can return them."

"I adore them," I said, touching my ears again. "Thank you so much for them. Now, open the rest of your gifts."

Edward laughed at the shirt I got him, loving his old school video game references. He also told me that he would rather see it on me. With no bra on. Or pants.

I told him if he was a good boy, he might just get his wish sometime soon.

Finally at seven o'clock when we could no longer ignore the rising sun, I sighed heavily. "I should take a shower. Do you need one?"

"Yeah," he muttered. "I didn't take one. It was far too early."

"You didn't have to come that early," I rolled my eyes.

"I can't sleep without you, my love," he said softly, tracing his finger over my earlobe. I sighed again, more softly this time as I relaxed into his touch. He lightly kissed my neck, tracing my skin where my flannel nightgown didn't cover.

It wasn't the sexiest of night clothes, but I didn't know he was coming over.

"We need to shower," I moaned as his hand slipped up my thigh, gently rubbing his fingers over my pantie covered ass.

"That we do," he breathed. "Shall I bring a condom?"

"Nope," I said, hopping out of bed and pulling off the nightgown. He frowned slightly but brightened when I ran my fingers over my breasts. "The shot, remember?"

We hadn't been able to have sex since I had gotten it done, without a condom anyway. We had to wait a few days for it to kick in and by then I had started my period.

I was more than looking forward to feeling him inside of me.

He bit his lip, his cheeks flushing slightly as he looked over my body. "I've only had sex without a condom once, and that was with you. I cannot wait to..." he trailed off, his thoughts reflecting my own.

I slipped off my panties and slowly ran my fingers between my legs. "Me either."

"Holy shit," he said, eying me hungrily. "Get your ass in the shower, you little tease."

It was then my turn to say 'yay.'

I struggled to get his jeans off as we kissed wildly, Edward shoving me against the wall. I groaned, finally yanking them down and was greeted by the wonderfully boxer less sight. His erection pressed against my stomach as he pushed himself close to me, using his feet to remove the jeans the rest of the way. My hands automatically went to his ass, squeezing it tightly.

"Fuck," he said, bucking his hips into me. I felt a small bead of moisture spread across my stomach and it was my turn to buck towards him. "Turn on the water," he ordered me, pointing to the tub.

I knew what he wanted me to do. I bent over, bracing myself with one hand on the tub as I turned on the water with the other. Edward moved in behind me, pressing his fingers deep inside of me.

"I love looking at you like this," he said huskily, moving his fingers over my lips before rubbing them roughly against my clit. I had to use both hands then, bracing myself for more. "I'd love to take you like this. Later though."

"Fuck!" I whined, pouting as I came to stand up. "Cruel."

"I'd rather have you bent over the vanity so I can watch your face in the mirror as I fuck you."

With those words I grabbed his cock, making him a lot less _cocky_. Gently, but with a firm hand, I brought him closer to me. "You are the tease."

"I'm not teasing," he said, jutting his hips forward so that he was massaging himself with my hand. "I fully intend on taking you that way. Soon. And over and over again. Now, shower time."

He was going to end up killing me.

I stumbled into the shower, fully realizing that he owned my body. He was in a second later, grabbing me up in his arms and kissing me again. I moaned softly, the warm water hitting our chests as it flowed between us.

"Hands on the wall," he whispered in my ear. "One foot on the ledge and hold on."

I did as I was told, the water flowing over my back and down my ass. Edward moved in behind me, teasing me with the tip of his hardness, rubbing it against my swollen and aching lips. I pressed backward, but he playfully swatted my ass. I giggled, doing it again.

"Fuck me," I demanded.

"You're impatient," he said pressing himself inside of me just slightly.

I pushed myself all the way back, taking him fully inside of me. "Very."

"Jesus, you feel so good," he groaned, holding onto my hips as he pulled back before slamming right back in. The water splashed around us, trickling down my legs in the most delicious way. Then he did it again, and again.

He slid one of his hands over my ribs, pulling me up against him. He moved at a steady pace, the hand that was one of my ribs now teasing one of my nipples. I leaned my head against his shoulder, closing my eyes tightly as he twisted it and tweaked with the hot water beating against my skin.

"Play with yourself," he whispered against my ear. "I'm going to cum. Fucking play with yourself.

Didn't have to tell me twice.

I slid my hand between my spread legs and began to rub, feeling him occasionally brush against them. Finally, it became too much, and I could do no more without falling over. Edward picked up the slack, leaning me fully against him as he fingers ran circles around the tender flesh between my thighs.

"Oh! Uh..gh...gah..." I said, shivering and writhing against him as I began one of the longest orgasms of my life. It felt like it went on for hours. His other hand twisted my nipple sharply as he bit down on my shoulder. "OH! SHIT!"

"God," he mumbled as he filled me, one hand pressed against my stomach and the other still on my breast. I could feel him all the way inside of me, almost against my belly button. It was exquisite, the twitching and throbbing as he emptied inside of me.

Best. Shower. **Ever**.

Too bad we couldn't stay in there all day.

"Happy Christmas!" Carlisle said brightly as we met them at a lovely Jazz brunch at the nice hotel they were staying at. They already had champagne and orange juice waiting for us. "You look happy."

"It's Christmas! Of course, I am," I said innocently, blushing as I looked over at Edward. He smiled crookedly, pulling out a chair for me. He then went to his mother and kissed her on the cheek.

"Merry Christmas, Mum."

"Oh, you too, baby," she said, putting a hand on his cheek. "I missed being with the family. This is so nice," Esme said, her accent thick. It reminded me a lot of my own. "So, Bella, how are you feeling, darlin?"

I knew what she was asking, and I blushed furiously. "Let's just say the passion killers have made it back into the drawer."

Carlisle laughed loudly then covered his mouth quickly to hide it as a cough. Edward snickered, running his fingers through his hair before looking over at me. "You're just as blunt as them, you know that?"

"You love me this way." I rolled my eyes but smiled as I picked up my menu.

"I do," he said, placing his hand on my thigh and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"So, breakfast? What are we having?" Carlisle asked, smiling at us kindly. "I think I'm going to have a waffle, some sausage and maybe some bacon and hash browns."

"You're going to have a heart attack," Edward smirked. "I'm getting a bowl of fruit, omelet, and some sliced tomatoes."

"Oh! That sounds good. I'll get that with a croissant too," his mother chimed in.

"Make it two of those," I agreed with Esme. "That sounds great. Ham and cheese omelet?"

"With extra cheese," Esme smiled brightly. "Just the way I like it."

After breakfast, we went up to his parent's room to exchange gifts. There was a huge box waiting for Edward. I mean _huge_. And several smaller ones. I noticed two of them had my name on it.

I was very grateful that I got them something as well.

I pulled the gifts, both Edward's and mine, out of my massive purse and placed them on the table. Edward insisted that his parents go first. He wanted to see their reaction to them.

Esme squealed loudly when she saw what was inside. It was a sterling silver charm bracelet with several charms on it. One was of Texas with a heart in the center, there were was an E, a heart, a star, and a snowflake. She put it on right away and jangled it.

"Oh, Edward! It's wonderful! Thank you so much!"

He leaned over into me and whispered softly, "now I have a built-in gift for the next two years. I can just keep adding charms to it."

I giggled, smiling at Edward as he tossed a box at his dad. "You know it's hard to shop for a man who has everything," his son informed him. "Hope you like it."

It was a very nice pen and pencil set, engraved with his name on it. He loved it, right away testing it out. Apparently, the coolest feature of the pen was that it was able to write upside down and that it was the type the astronauts use.

I didn't know that pens couldn't write upside down, but I wasn't curious enough to try that when I was at home alone. Though I did consider it.

"Edward, why don't you open yours?" Esme said, waving her hand towards the box. He hopped up like a little kid, rubbing his hands together as he grinned wickedly. "Like you don't know what it is."

"Sweet!" He cheered, ripping the box open. It was a new silver electric guitar with his initials gracefully painted with black on the side. There was also a new small amp. "Thanks, Mum."

"Hey! I picked out the amp," Carlisle teased. Edward went over to him and quickly hugged him tightly before kissing his mother.

I felt a little out of place in the center of the happy family. Esme seemed to notice. "Bella, your turn, my dear."

There were two small presents, but they were heavy. I took one and tore open the paper quickly. I read the title book out loud. "A traveler's guide to London. Awesome! Thank you! I needed this."

"One more," Esme said, "it goes along with it."

It was a lovely tan leather bound travel journal. "Life goes by so quickly," Carlisle said softly, "sometimes you just need to write things down so you won't forget. Especially when you go on trips."

"Thank you. Both of you. This is very nice," I told them sincerely. Carlisle just smiled, and Esme beamed happily.

"Edward," Carlisle said as he clapped his son on the back, "why don't we go down to the bar for a moment and have a drink and a cigar?"

"I'll skip the cigar. Ladies, want to join?" My sweet boyfriend asked.

"You're not very bright sometimes, son," Carlisle murmured, putting his arm around his shoulder. "Give the ladies a moment. Your mum wants to chat with Bella a tick, I believe."

"Call me if you need me," Edward whispered, giving me an apologetic smile.

"I'm not going to hurt her, honey," his mother rolled her eyes. "Go on. We'll go down in a minute to meet you."

"Ma'am?" I started politely once they were out of the room. "Is something wrong? Have I done something to offend you?"

"Oh! Dear! Of course not," she smiled, touching my hand gently. "No. I just wanted to thank you. And don't worry, the entire family approves of you."

"Thank me for what?"

"Edward was a very shy child. He still is. I haven't seen him this happy in years. Even after he lost the weight. He was proud of himself, but he was lonely. I don't see that now. It's nice."

"I haven't done anything special," I said, shaking my head.

"You have. You're in love with him, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"That's all you need to do. Love him, I mean. Carlisle and Edward are very much alike. Carlisle seemed to bloom the more and more he got around me. The more we fell in love. The Cullen men need that. I just hope you keep it up," she said, patting my hand again and standing up.

"I'll try," I said, shaking my head at a sad thought that skittered across my brain. "I can't imagine my life without Edward now."

"I feel the same way about Carlisle." She smiled at me. "Now, come on, I'm sure Edward is thinking the worst right now."

"Do you blame him?" I said with a soft giggle. "What would you think if your mother pulled Carlisle to the side to talk to him?"

"Mm, good point," she snorted. "You know, she did once. She threatened to cut off his head, both of them, and then stick him in the freezer if he ever hurt me. And then she welcomed him to the family."

"Sounds like something my dad would say," I commented.

"I think I'd like your dad."

I smiled widely, "I think you would too."

**Aw, love this Esme. **

**Thanks for reading! **


	26. Chapter 26

**The 26****th****and 27****th**

DFW was a maze, so we, Edward, Esme, Carlisle, and myself, left very early. And because we were so early and found the terminal so quickly, we had a lot of time to spare. Edward and I decided to wander the souvenir shops by the gate while we waited for Carlisle and Esme to get some coffee. Though it was early in the morning, I was already all wound up and did not need any more caffeine. I was already jittery.

Edward assured me that I would get sleep on the plane anyway. His father always brought anti-nausea medicine along. I already knew I would have to take it. A short hop was one thing. Nine full hours on a plane nonstop was an entirely different story.

They had some of the weirdest things in the shop. Every single thing had 'Texas' on it. Or the Texas Flag. Most of it was ugly or the normal souvenir stuff that everyone got for people when they were 'required' to bring back gifts. Pens, magnets, shot glasses... that sort of thing.

I nibbled on my bottom lip as I looked at some strange little wooden sculptures. They were of wolves, not that I knew why. I had never seen a wild wolf in Dallas. A coyote? Yes. Wolf? No.

"Where do you see yourself in the future?" Edward asked out of the blue. He was looking at me with an interesting expression, both curious but calm.

"Depends," I shrugged, not giving him a real answer.

"On what?"

"On when in the future," I told him truthfully. "A day from now? Sightseeing. A week from now? Being exhausted but happy. A month from now? I don't know..."

"What about a year from now?" He asked, coming to stand beside me. His hands were in his pockets, his eyes watching my hands as I looked at different things instead of looking at me.

I shrugged slowly. "Next Christmas? Well, I hope that I'm having a great time with my family... my real one. With you, Alice, and Jasper."

He sighed softly and wrapped his arms around my waist as he came to stand behind me. He set his chin on my shoulder as he looked on. "That's what I see too."

I placed my hands on top of his, "why do you ask?"

"Random thought is all," he said, kissing my cheek. I was going to probe further, but they called our flight. "Come on. We board first. We're first class."

"First class?" I asked in shock. He hadn't told me that.

"Yes, first class. I'm not flying for half a day on anything less. My parents wouldn't have done it either."

"I want to-"

"If the next words out of your mouth are 'pay for this'..." He said in the way of warning. I knew right then that I was trailing on delicate territory. Now that I knew Edward's finances, I knew that he made a good living- especially in Texas with his own business. He made about fifty thousand a year altogether, and he didn't have a ton of upkeep. He had to dry clean his clothes and fix strings. The gas was the significant expense.

But, even with the great profits, he still didn't make half of what I made a year. I think he was slightly sensitive about that. Not that I made more money per se, but I think he just didn't feel equal in that way. I felt bad about that sometimes, but there was nothing I could, or honesty would do about that.

It was just something we would have to work on together.

"I want to thank you," I said softly, taking his hand and bringing it up to my lips. "This is wonderful."

He softened slightly and pulled me into his arms once again. I lightly kissed his chin, looking into his deep green eyes. They sparkled down at me, inviting me in.

"Come on, there are my parents. Let's board."

I curled up beside Edward in the comfortable seat. Edward's parents were on the other side of the aisle, Carlisle by the window. He nudged Esme, and she pulled something out of her purse and passed it to Edward. It was two little white pills.

"When the stewardess comes by, make sure to ask for water. Drink it all up," Esme said in her gentle motherly voice. "This stuff can make your mouth cotton dry."

After we were in the air, Edward got us two bottles of water. I took the tiny pill, swallowing it down quickly in one big gulp. It tasted somewhat like salt. It was nasty. I could tell by the expression on Edward's face that he felt the same way.

"Want to watch the movie?" He asked, holding my hand gently. I nodded quickly, smiling at him. "Just to let you know, this stuff knocks me out for a couple of hours usually. So, if I fall asleep on you, don't be surprised."

"Okay," I shrugged, smiling at him. "I'm pretty sensitive to this kind of medicine. I'll probably fall asleep too."

I didn't make it thirty minutes into the movie. I heard, felt, smelt, did, nothing else but sleep the entire flight to London.

I don't know what Carlisle gave me, but apparently, it was the good stuff.

"Bella?" Edward whispered in my ear. "We've landed. It's time to go. You need to walk now."

"I don't wanna," I complained, shoving my face into his shoulder.

"I'll carry you once we get out of the airport. Come on, love," he said, pulling me up. He grabbed my carry on, which was all that I brought with me because it was big enough to hold all that I needed, and his own before pulling to his side. I stumbled along beside him, barely alive.

"Next time, give her half," I heard Carlisle say with a small laugh. "Once she gets a bit of nosh in her she'll feel better."

"Want to eat something?" Edward asked quietly in my ear. His lips were right against my skin, soft and smooth and _so_ warm.

"No, cuddles and sleep," I muttered. I felt his chest rumble against my side, and I turned into him slightly.

"Then we'll get you home and into bed. It's midnight here anyway. We should get some sleep and go out in the morning. Sound good, my love?"

I didn't say anything. I just nodded. Once we got back in the car, I fell asleep again.

When I finally woke up, it was morning. Early morning, probably around seven. I felt... _odd_. Not really refreshed but very awake and aware. I rubbed my eyes, looking around.

The room was old fashion. The bed was quite large, wooden four-poster with a canopy. The walls were done in rich golden colors. There was only one door, and I could only assume that it was to the other parts of the house, but there was a big dresser with my two bags on it. There was only one window with a box seat. In one corner there was a bookshelf.

I nearly jumped when I saw Edward sitting in a chair. He was reading in his sleep pants, chewing on his thumbnail as he did. He was so deep in thought.

"You okay?" I asked, slowly sitting up. He smiled slowly as he shut his book.

"Fine. I've been up for a while, and I didn't want to bother you. You seemed so tired. How are you feeling now?"

"Slightly confused. Hungry," I shrugged. He chuckled softly.

"Not surprised, at all. Breakfast should be ready in a little while. My mum always has it ready at seven thirty."

"Where am I at?" I asked. I sat up slowly and realized I was just in a tee shirt and panties. Edward must have undressed me.

I liked that thought a little too much.

"This used to be my room when I lived here. My parents have redone it some."

"Did you sleep with me?" I asked, biting my bottom lip.

"Yes," he smiled. "My parents don't mind though my mother made several cracks about 'keepin it down while you practice baby makin' he said in his thick pretend southern accent. I giggled even though I blushed.

"I hope you told them that I can't make any promises."

"I told them that they're lucky they're on the other side of the house," he smiled wickedly. "Made her shut it real quick."

"You're bad," I teased him.

"Which is why it's a good thing they're across the house," he said, crawling onto the bed with me. He hovered over me, smiling down at me. "You are so beautiful when you sleep."

"You're beautiful all the time," I said back breathlessly. He blushed a furious color as he bit his bottom lip. Slowly he brought his hand to my cheek.

"I love you."

I turned my face to kiss the center of his hand, "I know. I love you, too. And I mean it. With all my heart."

"I know," he replied back softly, the mood suddenly very heavy.

But thankfully someone knocked on the door. "Mr. Cullen? Breakfast is ready," a soft English accented voice said. It wasn't his mother, that's for sure.

"The housekeeper," Edward said, answering my unspoken question. "Ms. Cope. Come on, let's get you dressed. I know you have to be really hungry. You didn't eat anything yesterday besides breakfast."

As if to answer Edward, my stomach growled loudly.

"There you two are!" Carlisle said brightly from behind his newspaper. He was wearing a pair of reading glasses pushed far down his nose. "I was beginning to wonder if you had survived the night."

"Alive and well," I smiled in return.

"And hungry," Edward added as he pulled out a chair for me. Esme came fluttering out of the kitchen, carrying something to the table. A moment later a woman with flaming red hair came with a tray full of things. It looked like a tea service. "Morning, Mum."

"Darlin!" She said, kissing his cheek softly. Carlisle stood and pulled out a chair for Esme which she took gratefully.

So, that's where he got it from. Good manners must have run in the family.

"Tuck in," Carlisle said, putting things on his plate. There looked to be eggs, toast, and sausage along with some fruit. "Tea, dear?" He asked me kindly.

"What kind?" I asked slowly. I knew tea was a whole other game in Europe.

"Irish Breakfast?" Edward asked his dad. Carlisle nodded, pouring himself a small cup. "It's good, just a little strong. Want me to make it for you? The proper way, I mean."

"Please," I said, pushing my cup his way.

And like he did it every day, Edward made me a little delicate cup of tea with lots of milk and sugar. It made me smile to see him like this. "Here, try it. If you don't like it, I can go get you something else. I know Mum likes green tea and there will be coffee and milk, I'm sure."

I took a long sip. He was right. It was strong, but nothing I couldn't handle. "No, this is good. Thank you."

I ate like a mad woman. Once I started, it was hard to stop. I was just so hungry. And it tasted so good. And when it was all said and done, all I wanted to do was take a shower.

I felt nasty. _Stupid airplanes. _

Edward noticed me scratching the back of my itchy head. His hair was pretty wild, and he needed a shave, badly. Though, if he didn't want to, I wouldn't have minded. I just wanted to run my fingers over it to see what it felt like.

I got lost in a little daydream that involved dirty things when I felt Edward take my hand. "We're going to get ready for the day. Do you have any plans?" He asked his parents.

"None today. We're going to rest. Tomorrow or the next day we're going to see your grandparents, and your Uncle Liam is coming, so you have to go," Carlisle informed him. Edward frowned.

Grandparents? Edward hadn't said anything about his other set of grandparents or an Uncle Liam. I could only assume it was Carlisle's brother. Or maybe his uncle as well. I would have to ask Edward.

"No way I can get out of it?" Edward asked.

I thought it was rather odd since Edward was so big into family. They must have been something else if he was trying to avoid them.

"No," Carlisle sighed heavily. "They've been asking about you anyway. It would be polite to drop it for tea. Don't worry, we won't be staying long."

"If we must," Edward sighed, placing his hand on my back. "Shall we? Today is yours. We can do whatever you like."

"Sightseeing?"

"Sounds great. Let's shower and get going. Have a good morning," he said to his parents before taking me back to the bedroom we were sharing. It seemed like the entire house was like his room. Very stately. I couldn't wait to see the outside.

"Why don't you want to see your grandparents?" I asked him, pulling out some clothes so I could change in the bathroom.

"Because they're not very nice people," he sighed. "They make Renee look like a saint, honestly. They had a fit when my father married my mother. Called her Colonial white trash. Now they just refer to her as the American whore. I was hoping to skip a visit to them because they'll just _love_ meeting you." He gave me a small smile. "I don't care what they say. It won't change the way I feel. I just don't want you to go through that. Horrible people," he muttered under their breath. "Honestly, I just want to see my uncle."

"Oh," I answered, not knowing what to say.

"We won't stay long. I'd say you could just go out on your own, but I know it would just be worse the next time they came around if they found out you were avoiding them. I figure it should be like a band-aid. Rip it off all at once, you know?"

I nodded, picking up my clothes and such. "I'll shower first."

"Can we shower together? Honestly, my parents know I'm a grown up. We'll conserve water," he said softly. I giggled and nodded my head, even if I was blushing. He wasn't for once.

Somehow we actually behaved. I got dressed and blow dried my hair while Edward shaved very carefully beside me. I had never seen him do it before and it really interesting actually. He smiled at me when he noticed, and I smiled back, going back to my work.

I decided to put some makeup on, wearing a comfortable sweater with my leather jacket and gloves. It wasn't terribly cold, but it was chilly enough for them from what I got from reading Carlisle's paper.

I slipped a camera into my purse, along with some of the money I exchanged and credit cards. I also put my guide book and journal in there.

"Oh, one more thing!" Edward said quickly like he forgot something. He pulled a little blue card from his pocket. "My parents got these for us. They're good for our entire visit."

"What are they?"

"They're London Passes with travel."

"And that is?" I looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Gets you into all these things free. The big things. Like the Zoo and London Tower. A lot of museums. Saves a load. You can use them as well on any public transport. Very handy."

"How thoughtful," I said, taking the card from him and looking at it. "Remind me to thank them."

"Trust me, I already have," he said, chuckling. "It's kind of pricey to begin with, but if we go to all the places I want to take you it will come very much in handy as I said. Probably will save us hundreds. Anyway, I know I said today is your day but you said you wanted to go sightseeing so I know the perfect thing we can do-"

I put my hand on his mouth to stop him from rambling. He smiled at me innocently. "I am in your competent hands."

"Okay, well then. We should hurry. If we do, we'll make it to the first tour."

"Tour?"

"Oh, Edward!" I squealed like a little girl as I took several pictures, several of probably a hundred I had already taken. "This is amazing!"

We were taking a River Thames Cruise, and I got to see so many things that I had always wanted to see. There were things that I didn't even know I wanted to see until then. Like The Shakespeare theater- the globe, the Millennium bridge... and so many other things.

"I'm glad you like it. I thought this would be a good way to start the trip. Of course, a lot of these we can visit in person. Today if you'd like. And you know, they have night cruises as well. Maybe we could take one tonight and look at the city. It's totally different in the dark."

I bit my lip, loving that idea but there was something else I wanted to do. "I want to cross something off my list tonight if that's okay."

"Of course it is. You don't have to ask me," he said, rubbing his hand down my back. "What would you like to do tonight?"

"Can we go out dancing?" I asked quietly. A giant smile spread across his lips.

"That would be wonderful! Of course."

After we finished the cruise, we went to one of the London Bridges tours. There was actually a couple. We decided we would do the rest after we had lunch.

Edward took me to a classic fish and chip shop. He sprinkled malt vinegar all over his, food which I made fun of him for. He forced me to try it, and of course, I liked it too. He, then in return, made fun of me.

I guess you never know until you try something.

We then went on the other set of London Bridge tours. I was a bit sad that I didn't get to take some of the pictures I wanted, especially of the jewels because of some of the policies, but it was okay. It was worth it just to see them.

After the London Bridge, Edward showed me Buckingham Place and told me not to bother the guards. He said it was a very touristy thing to do. I wouldn't have anyway.

"Did you come back to London often after you moved to Dallas?" I asked as we rode on a double-decker bus.

I was in geek heaven. Everything was so cool.

Edward shrugged, putting his arm over my shoulder. "Up until I finished college, yes. I'd visit at least once a year for a month or so. After that, not so much. This is the first visit I've made since my parents moved back into my great grandparents' estate."

"Great grandparents?" I asked, urging him to keep talking. I wanted to know all about him.

"Hm, my dad's grandparents on his father's side. My grandparents hated it when they gifted him the house. They had cut off my parents and expected his parents to do the same. My great grandmother was a great old lady, very feisty. Told Grandfather to sod off and that he was a stupid inbred git."

"Inbred?" I raised an eyebrow.

He chuckled, "my great grandmother's first husband was her cousin. She had my grandfather by him. It was a forced marriage and not very happy from what I understand. He died 'in the war,'" he said, using air quotes, "and she remarried. She outlived him and remarried again. She outlived him as well but didn't get remarried. She was ninety after all when he died."

"Ninety?" I breathed. "Wow."

He laughed quietly, "she lived to be something like a hundred and seven years old. Amazing if you ask me. I wouldn't want to live that long. Especially if that meant living without the people I loved."

"How old are your grandparents? They sound kind of-"

"Out of date," he finished for me. "I'm not totally sure. I know they had my father in their thirties. He's in his early fifties. Somewhere close to ninety?" He shrugged. "They have a very dated view of the world. They're extremely prejudiced."

Edward patted my hand gently and stood. "Enough of this kind of talk. Let's go see something fun. Want to take a Ferris wheel ride?"

"That sounds like fun," I said, respecting his quick subject change. I could tell he no longer wanted to talk about it and I wasn't going to force it.

It just wasn't some Ferris wheel ride. It was actually the London Eye, and it was terrific. I took so many pictures. While we were on it, his phone began to ring.

"Mum?" He said right off. He rolled his eyes but chuckled. "Mum wants to know if we'd like to come home for tea?"

"For tea?" I said, confused.

"Afternoon tea." He rolled his eyes at me but smiled. "She wants to give you a real British experience. If we did that we could go home, have tea, and then get ready for tonight. We could go out to dinner and then go dancing?"

"That sounds like fun," I agreed.

He brought the phone back up to his ear. "Yes, Mum. We will. How long till it's done?" Edward smiled at something his mother said, chuckling quietly. His accent was growing thicker and thicker the longer we were out. And sounding the most British I had ever heard him, Edward said, "right, Mum. We'll be there in a tick. No, we'll catch the tube. Bloody hell, Mum. Yes. We will." He laughed loudly, taking the phone away from his ear and rubbing his forehead before bringing it up quick. "We'll be safe. I promise. Bye."

I laughed at his exasperation expression. "Mothers. Can't live with them, can't live without them."

"Isn't that the bloody truth?!" He said, laughing as he threw an arm across my shoulder. "Now, let's get back for tea before Mum calls me again, and we have to have that conversation all over again."

**Bella is crossing London off her list and next chapter she'll cross off even more!**

**If you're enjoying this story still, please let me know! We're over halfway done now. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	27. Chapter 27

**Tea Time**

"You're here! You're here, you're here!" Esme squealed happily as we came in, clapping her hands together. "This will be so much fun."

"Mum, how much coffee have you had today?" Edward rolled his eyes as he helped me remove my jacket. He neatly laid it across a chair along with his own.

"Oh! Come on! It's fun! I never get to have tea time anymore."

"Do I have to wear a frilly hat and drink with my pinkie up?" I whispered mockingly loud. Edward smirked, winking at me before turning to his mother with a faked annoyed expression.

"Bella and I aren't dolls. What if we don't want to have a tea party with you?"

Esme turned to him slowly, an evil look in her eye. Like, pure evil. I could practically see the sarcastic remark forming in her mind as she turned.

"Then give me grandchildren. They won't mind having tea parties with me."

"Tea, darling?" Edward turned to me, smiling charmingly.

"Yes! Please!"

"That's what I thought!" Esme said, throwing her head back in a defiant way. She took my hand and began to lead me towards a part of the house that I had never been before. Not that I had a tour or anything.

Edward followed behind, seeming to know exactly where they were going. Apparently, we were taking tea in a sunroom just off the kitchen. You could see the garden which was finely cared for, and a huge glass greenhouse. There were several comfortable looking chairs around a coffee table which had a large tray on it. On the tray itself, there was a large pot of tea, milk, and sugar to go with it along with a tiered tray. On one level there were little sandwiches, another was scones, and on the very top, there were tiny little cakes with small flowers on them.

"What are those?" I asked, pointing to two little pots. I couldn't name them by just sight alone.

"Clotted cream and strawberry jam," Edward hummed. "Yum. Grammie used to have that all the time when I was a kid." I gave Edward a questioning look. "Grammie, my great grandmother I was telling you about."

"Oh! Yeah!" I said, nodding my head.

"I miss her," Esme said wistfully. "Come on, y'all. Let's have some tea and scones."

I laughed loudly. "That has to be some sort of oxymoron or contradiction."

Esme smiled sheepishly, blushing slightly. "Yeah, I know I am. But, hey! I'm fun! Now, come on! I've been waiting to do this all afternoon! I even made the scones from scratch myself. They're still warm."

Before getting comfortable, Esme flicked on a CD player I hadn't noticed before. The sounds of an opera singer rang through the speakers. Edward sat beside me, each pouring us a cup of tea. First, he passed one to his mother for her to fix before making mine for me just so once again. I didn't know what kind of tea she was serving, but I wasn't going to question it. I took a long sip and smiled at the sweetness.

"These are cucumber sandwiches. I didn't like them at first, but now I love them," Esme said, laying one on a plate and passing it to me.

It literally tasted like nothing, but I smiled and nodded my head. "I want to try a scone before they get cold."

"Me too," Edward smiled, putting one on my plate and then his own. He put a dollop of jam and the cream on his plate. He began to break it up and dip it into each before popping into his mouth. I noticed Esme was cutting hers in half and slathering it on here.

I guess there was no specific way to eat those, so I just dove in.

"So, did you two have a good time?" Esme asked, taking a delicate sip of her tea.

"Mm, yes," I smiled at Edward. "The Eye had amazing views. It moved a lot slower than I thought it would. Everything is just so... _old_. It kind of makes me feel like a dwarf. Or a baby."

"I felt the same way when I first came over here." Esme nodded thoughtfully. "You do get used to it. It's even worse when you go to somewhere like Rome though. It's like you can feel all the souls of the people that were there before you, just moving around. The air is thick, and it's... _powerful_. Though, America is not without its history."

"I'd imagine New York can be like that," Edward added into the conversation before taking another bite.

"Actually, New Orleans is where I felt that the most. Maybe it's the humidity. So many things happened down there though."

"I want to go to New Orleans," I sighed softly. I hadn't even been before, and it sounded like so much fun already. Esme was making it seem even more interesting.

"It's a lovely and fascinating city." Esme nodded her head as if it was her final word on the subject. Edward brought his hand over to mine and pulled it up to his mouth.

"I promise we will go. I'll make sure of it."

Could he be any more charming? He made me want to jump up and down in pure happiness.

"Try the cakes next," Esme said, smiling sweetly to herself. "They're from a nice bakery around the corner. They're outstanding. Carlisle brought them home one day a couple of months ago, and I've gotten them at least twice a week since then."

"Speaking of Carlisle, where is Dad?" Edward asked.

"Gone to a pub with Liam. They want some time before they have to deal with _them_."

I knew exactly who they were referring to, but I wasn't going to say anything. I don't think there was anything that I could have said anyway.

"We were going out tonight," Edward said, "but if you'd like us to stay in until Dad gets home, we can."

"I'm a big girl, but thank you. That's sweet, darlin," Esme said, patting his hand. "What are you two going to be up to?"

"Dinner and dancing," I smiled, trying not to show how excited I actually was about the whole thing.

"Oh, where are you going?" Esme asked excitedly.

"I was actually thinking Harrods, maybe something a little less off the tourist path. At least a little bit." Edward smiled.

"Oh! I love Harrods. Remember it has a dress code," Esme interjected.

"Harrods?" I asked in confusion.

"It's a store that's been open for ages. Over a hundred and fifty years, I think. Anyway, it has this huge food hall with a couple of dozen stores. I thought it would be a unique experience. But, if you'd like to go somewhere else, I'd be more than willing to-"

I leaned over and kissed Edward softly on the mouth. "As I told you once already today, I am in your competent hands."

After another cup of tea and one of the yummy cakes that Esme had, I excused myself to have a long hot shower. I was a little sore from all the walking, and I wanted to be in the best shape possible for later that night.

So, I carefully washed my hair and shaved my legs just so. They were completely smooth. Since we were going dancing, I was going to put on the only dress I brought with me.

It was a sleeveless number that I got from that same vintage store as that first size ten. It had become my favorite store, but I think I was a bit biased.

The dress reminded me of something from the sixties, with its long narrow shape. It went just above my knees. I decided to put on some of the fancy underwear that I had bought after Thanksgiving. They were black with thigh-high black nylons. They even had the seam down the back that I arranged just right. I put on a pair of black heels, hoping that I would survive the night.

With makeup and hair done, I wandered down to where Edward was already waiting for me. He was dressed just perfectly in a suit, but sans tie. I liked it that way. He looked so handsome. When he saw me, he let out a soft gasp.

"You look perfect."

I hadn't even noticed Esme in the room at the time. She clapped her hands excitedly, smiling widely. "That is so pretty! Oh! Stay right there! I have something that would go with that perfectly."

She came back a few seconds later with a big black wrap. "Oh! Thank you! I'll take good care of it," I said, taking it from her. I knew my leather coat wouldn't match it at all, so I wasn't even going to argue.

"Good deal! But, before you go! Let me take a picture! Aw, you two are so cute!" Esme said. Edward rolled his eyes but looked at me with a smile.

"If I didn't want to remember how you look tonight in perfect detail, I'd tell her no."

He offered his hand to me, and I took it eagerly before coming to his side. He wrapped his arm around me and kissed the top of my head. I heard the camera snap.

"Mom! Would you wait for a moment, please? You do have to warn us, after all!" Edward said, blushing. I just giggled, feeling a little too warm and a lot too light, like I was going to just bounce away.

"Sorry, sorry." She rolled her eyes. "Say cheese, you two."

"Mum," Edward chuckled at her silly expression. That's the exact moment that the camera snapped. Before he could say anything, she took two more pictures. "Okay! Okay, are you happy now?"

"I'm getting there," she said, nodding her head. She winked at me playfully. "You two have a good time, and I'll see you in the morning."

We took a cab, Edward holding my hand in silence as I leaned against him. I gasped as we stopped in front of a giant old fashioned building. It was glowing with light, the dark color of the bricks reflecting the light in a way to make it even more epic.

"We're here," Edward said softly. "Come on, love. I know exactly where I want to take you."

And in reality, it just wasn't one place. It was several different places. There was a large deli with meats and cheeses, And there was a place with bread with fancy jams and creams. We got a bottle of wine, along with a few Godiva chocolates. We sat down at a quiet table away from everyone else.

Edward carefully cut off a piece of cheese and brought it to my lips. "Try this, it's delicious."

I took it from his fingers, making sure to brush my lips against them as I did. I hummed in pleasure, slowly licking my own lips. Edward's eyes were on fire. "Mm, this is very good."

"Is tonight going to be a giant game of foreplay?" Edward asked in a low tone so no one else could hear.

I wasn't originally thinking that but now that he mentioned it...

I drew a line up his calf with the toe of my high heel, making him shudder, but his eyes never left mine. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

He leaned in close so that his lips were against my ear. "Mm, say what you want. I know the truth. But, just to let you know... I play to win."

It was my turn to shudder. I quickly recovered myself and tore off a piece of bread. I brought it up to his lips, and Edward snatched it up quickly, making me giggle.

"This is going to be a fun night."

When we started out the evening, I really had no idea where we were going to dance. Or what kind of music or dancing we would be doing.

But apparently Edward did, and he named off a place to the next cab driver.

I was feeling a little giddy from the three glasses of wine I had already. Edward wasn't exactly giddy... _per se_. But he was intense, his cheeks ruddy with color as he traced his fingers over my shoulders.

"Where are we going?" I asked in a soft sigh, leaning my head to the side as they brushed along my neck. He hummed, leaning in to kiss my shoulder lightly. "You're not going to tell me?"

"We're going dancing," he said, smiling against my skin as he kissed it again.

"What kind of dancing?" I asked, running my fingers over his thigh.

I was met by a little surprise.

_Okay, maybe not precisely little... _

Apparently, Edward was happy to see me.

"It's just somewhere I found when I was doing a little bit of research earlier. I think you'll like it, but if not, I have a few other places we could visit. I think this is more our style though."

"Hm," I asked, stroking his thigh just an inch or so above where his erection was resting.

If he was going to play to win, so was I.

_All is fair in love and war... _

Edward tipped the poor taxi driver that had to deal with our flirting and teasing the entire ride very well. The man didn't say anything, but I was sure he was ready to have us out of his cab before we started having sex in it.

There were no lines to the small building, but the smooth notes of a sax could be heard from inside. I bit my lip, smiling as I glanced over at Edward. He smiled crookedly, holding his hand out to me.

"Let's have another drink before we dance," Edward suggested as we came inside. The music was slow, and there were a lot of people on the small dance floor dancing to it. It seemed mysterious and sexy, dark yet full of color.

Or maybe that was the wine talking.

"What can we get ya, darling?" The bartender said to me smoothly, his accent thick. It wasn't exactly like Edward's. It sounded more... Scottish, I supposed.

"Martini," I said, wanting something a little different and a lot stronger. Edward ordered a bourbon on ice.

He drank the whole thing down quickly as he watched me play with the olive, licking the cold, clear liquid off of it.

"Another," he said hoarsely before clearing his throat. The bartender nodded, pouring him another drink quickly. I think even he noticed the heat between Edward and I. "Damn, you are going to kill me, woman."

"What a pleasant way to go," I said, downing the next martini quickly. Maybe it was because I was already a little bit lose, but it was really easy to drink. I didn't even notice the burn.

"Dance with me," Edward whispered against my ear. I nodded slowly, slipping my hand into his.

Another song started just as we stepped onto the floor. It wasn't as dark, but it was just as slow and just as sexy. Edward pulled me closer, resting his hand just above my ass. I slid my hand around his neck. Slowly we began to move, Edward leading me perfectly.

I was shit at dancing, but he was so _good_.

Our hips stayed connected as he moved to the beat. Once he even dipped me back. Not the full, almost to the floor kind of dip, but he leaned me back slightly so he could run his nose along the center of my neck. His hot breath blew across my lips as he brought me up, spicy with liquor.

We both moaned softly as our lips touched for just a second. His hand slid down slightly, squeezing my ass gently. Edward groaned when he felt my panties. I knew he knew exactly which ones I was wearing. I hadn't worn them out, but I had modeled them for him.

They stayed on a grand total of five minutes before he carried me to bed and took me.

I didn't mind that one single bit.

As soon as the song ended we pulled apart, panting softly.

"I need a drink," I whimpered out, feeling my skin flush brightly.

"Me too," he muttered, his expression matching my own.

Several dances and drinks later we were barely keeping our hands off of each other in the cab on the way back to Edward's parent's home. It was around one in the morning, and we were both tired of playing the game.

Edward pulled my legs over his lap as he rubbed my hand over my thigh. We weren't kissing, just looking into each other's eyes silently as our hands trailed over arms and shoulders, or ribs or chest. His eyes were so intense, and I was having a hard time pulling away from them. They were just so damn beautiful. I loved them.

I loved him.

"This is your stop," the driver said, and I passed her a bill. I was sure it covered whatever it cost and then some, but I didn't care. I rushed out of cab and Edward quickly followed. Before we could go more than a couple of steps, he pulled me into his strong arms and kissed me.

I mean, really _really_ kissed me. Deeply, passionately, with wanting wandering hands and a little bit of hair pulling.

"You're cold," he whispered when his hands trailed over my arms, feeling the goosebumps that had arisen.

"No, I'm not," I told him truthfully. In fact, my entire world was on fire. "You did this to me. Edward, I want you. Let's go inside, please. I want you so much."

The house was silent when we came inside, thankfully. I don't think I could have handled it if Esme or Carlisle was awake and waiting for us. I don't think '_please excuse me, I want your son to ravage me_' would be a good thing to say.

First thing Edward did when we arrived at the room was remove the black wrap from around my shoulders and throw it over a chair. It was then my turn to remove his jacket, pushing it off his shoulders before tossing it onto the chair with the black fabric.

"Fucking beautiful," Edward muttered wantonly as his lips trailed over my neck up to my ear. In my liquor filled state, I was barely able to stand up to his assault, but he was there to hold me up against his muscular chest.

I worked his shirt off slowly, letting the leisurely kissing and teasing continue. I loved his chest, running my fingers over it slowly. I could feel each muscle tense and relax as my hands danced over them. I trailed the soft line of curly red hair that went from the center of his chest all the way to his pants before working off his belt.

Once the belt was removed, he turned me around, unzipping the dress and pushing it to the floor. I stepped out of it slowly, only to be pulled in for another deep and passionate kiss.

"Do you know how sexy you are to me?" Edward asked me in a deep voice. "Do you know what you do to me? What you've always done to me?"

"Let me show you what you do to me," I said quietly, biting my bottom lip. I took his hand and pressed it against my rapidly beating heart before dragging it roughly over my breast then pushing it down my stomach. Edward knew exactly where I was taking his hand and took over for me, slipping his fingers into my panties. I gasped softly, having to place my hands on his shoulders to stay upright.

"My dear lord," he gasped, keeping a hand between my thighs to tease me while he brought his other hand to the back of my neck, pulling me in for a literally breathtaking kiss. "Wet, so wet. I did this to you?"

"You always do this to me," I told him truthfully. "Just being near you does this to me."

"I... oh, my darling...-" he trailed off like he wasn't sure what to say. Instead of saying anything else he removed his hand and took me over to the bed. He sat me on the edge before kneeling between my legs. Slowly he removed each shoe, rubbing my feet gently before working the nylons down my legs with almost worshipful hands. "Lay back," he finally whispered.

He pulled my panties off to about my knees before pressing a kiss to the center of my hot thighs. I cried out softly before biting my lip hard. I had to be quiet. There were others in the house. It would be hard to remember while he was doing that to me though.

The panties continued to roll down my calves as he slid his tongue between my lips. Kissing the left and then the right before spreading my legs wide. I was totally opened for him and his sweet assault.

"Oh, Edward!" I cried out as his tongue slipped down slowly, licking along the opening. I threw my head to the side, my back arching off the bed as best it could. My hips were searching for his wonderful mouth, just wanting him closer and closer. When he pulled away, I whimpered loudly.

"No, not yet. I want to feel you the first time you cum. I want to feel you cum around me," he whispered almost darkly.

I nodded my head, sitting up to help him out of his pants. They fell to the floor, and he sprung right in front of my face. Hard, pink, and waiting.

I couldn't resist.

He hissed loudly as my lips slid over his stiff flesh, a hand coming to the back of my neck. Gently Edward ran his fingers through my hair, almost lovingly. There was no rushing this moment. There was no forcing. There was just a feeling of intense pleasure.

"Bella, stop," he said finally. "Please. Can I have you now?"

"You can have me whenever you want," I said honestly, kissing one of the scars along his hip. He gave a soft sigh, pulling up my chin so that I could look into his eyes.

"Do you mean that?"

"Always," I assured him. "I'm yours."

He climbed onto the bed, hovering over me. His eyes were half-lidded, his cheeks a scorching red and his hair was literally everywhere. "Bella, I'm yours. I'll be yours until the day I die. No one else's."

I would have responded probably, but the only sound that could come out of my mouth as he slid into me was, "oh!"

With each movement the tension grew between us, winding and tightening. The air was so thick, the only noise was the soft creaking of the bed and the panting breaths we sucked in.

Finally, I snapped, no longer able to take his deliciously sharp movements. Edward was soon to follow.

"I love you," I whispered into his ear after he settled beside me. We comfortably slid into one of his favorite positions, his head resting against my shoulder as his arms wrapped tightly around my waist.

"I love you," he whispered just before we both drifted off to sleep.

**Woooo, it's a drunk lemon! Always fun. **

**Thanks for reading! **


	28. Chapter 28

**It's a tree!**

I woke up alone, slightly confused, and very hungover. Sitting up, I looked around slowly for Edward, but he was nowhere to be seen. I groaned loudly, putting my hand on my forehead as I laid back against the pillows with a thud.

I hadn't had a headache that bad since I graduated from college. My mouth tasted like dirt covered cotton, and my eyes were in agony as they tried to keep out the harsh light of the mid-morning.

_Scratch that_, it was almost eleven. _I don't think that qualifies as mid-morning anymore_.

After a few minutes, I decided my need to get to the bathroom was more overwhelming than my desire to avoid the light. Crawling out of bed, I stretched slowly. I was only wearing my bra, not bothering to take it off the night before. It felt a little odd, so I decided to change into something a little more comfortable, a sports bra and a pair of boy shorts. After that, I slid on some jeans and a long sleeved tee shirt, along with a pair of socks and shoes.

I wasn't comfortable walking around their house with no shoes on yet.

I went to the bathroom and scrubbed my face clean of smudged makeup which made my skin look rough and my eyes dark. After that I brushed my teeth, just hoping to get that taste out of my mouth.

It didn't work.

After that, I decided to go in search of Edward and of some aspirin. Either one would have worked at that moment. My boyfriend was comforting in himself, and I knew he could provide the medicine, so of course, he was my first choice.

"Good morning," Carlisle said with some good humor as I came into the dining room. There was a breakfast tray waiting for me, along with a bottle of pills and a big glass of water. "Edward said you might need those this morning."

"Thank god!" I whimpered, going over to them quickly. I popped three of the pills into my mouth and sighed as I swallowed. "Where is Edward?"

"He's trying to jog away his hangover," he chuckled. "He said if you woke up before he got back that he wouldn't be too long and when he got back if you were up to it, you could go sightseeing again."

"I don't know about that," I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck. "I'm sorry, this is embarrassing."

"Don't be," he chuckled. "You're not the only one at this table that got sloshed last night. My brother and I had a few too many pints. Anyway, sit, darling. Sit. Eat. It'll make you feel better. That's the doctor's orders."

I smiled, sitting down at the table. I put a croissant and a thing of grapes onto my plate before pouring some of the coffee that was still hot on the table. I wasn't going to bother with the cream and sugar. I needed it black.

"What kind of doctor were you before you retired?" I asked conversationally. Edward really hadn't told me, except that he worked with mainly children.

"Pediatric Oncology," he said, giving me a small smile.

"Cancer? Wow, that must have been a hard job..." I said, frowning at my cup of coffee. I had already drunk half of it in a few short seconds.

"Well, at times. But in the past thirty years, there have been leaps in that field. More and more children are surviving things we never imagined they could. And kids are strong. They fight back. They want to live and be happy, and they tend to do just that no matter what their condition is. But, still, it was tough. I guess that's why I decided to retire at such a young age."

"Do you ever think about going back?"

He shrugged gracefully, pushing his glasses up his nose. "I volunteer. It's enough. I don't want to be paid for my services anymore. And I don't want to be on call ever again."

I nodded my head thoughtfully, finishing my coffee before taking another bite. "I can understand that. Every time I put money into my retirement fund I look forward to not working."

"Speaking of work," he smiled at me slightly, "Esme wanted you to join her in the greenhouse when you were ready. She wanted to discuss something with you."

"Should I be worried?" I asked quietly. He just chuckled. "That's reassuring."

"With my wife, you should always be worried!" He laughed, patting my hand before standing. "But, no, I don't think you should be overly so."

That certainly didn't make me want to rush through breakfast. So, I finished my croissant before having another, along with two more cups of coffee. By the time I was done, I was practically vibrating.

With a sigh, I pushed away from the table and took my dishes to the kitchen where Ms. Cope was working on something. She took my plate with a smile then directed me to the backyard.

"Bella! There you are!" Esme said, brushing the dirt off her glove covered hands when I came into the large glass house. "Just the woman I wanted to see."

There was a huge terracotta pot filled partially with dirt and a small tree standing beside it. It didn't take a genius to figure out what she was doing. "You're planting a tree?"

"No, my dear! You are!" She smiled, tossing me a pair of gloves. "Edward told me that you always wanted to plant one and I thought that I could help with that. This is a fruit tree that I will be planting out in the yard once it gets big enough, but it will have to stay in here for now. So, would you like to help me?"

Now even Esme was getting in on the act when it came to finishing up my list. And I doubted she even knew it. I would have to thank Edward later for making the comment to his mother.

"Sure," I said, slipping on some gloves. "Tell me what to do because I have no idea."

"Well, you came to the right place. I've got quite the green thumb," she smiled. "Come on, let's get to work."

"So, how did you meet Edward?" Esme asked conversationally as we toiled together. It wasn't going to take long to get it done.

"Through Alice and Jasper," I said with a shrug and a little sigh, "through a stupid turn of events I ended up kissing him within ten seconds of meeting him. After that, we became friends and finally-"

I stopped, I didn't know how to explain that story exactly. I wasn't sure if Edward wanted me to tell her either. I probably shouldn't have told her that I kissed him either, but I was still a little hungover despite the massive amount of coffee I had ingested.

"Couldn't resist the Cullen charm any longer?" She chuckled. I smiled and just nodded my head. I guess I really couldn't resist anymore. I couldn't fight my own feelings anymore. "I know how that is."

"How did you meet Carlisle?" I asked, trying to get the attention off of me. Esme giggled softly before advising me to put the tree in the soil we had prepared.

"Well, I came here after I graduated school. I was going to spend a summer in London discovering myself. I was having a good time. And I was quickly surrounded by a group of friends. Well, one night that first month, I went to this dance club. This was right when the punk scene was really coming into play."

"You were a punk?" I laughed.

She shook her head, her red hair bouncing quickly. "No! My, no. I was a clean cut girl from Texas..."

"Carlisle?" I raised an eyebrow.

"The first time I met him," she giggled to herself like she was lost in a memory, "he was in tore up jeans, a Clash tee shirt, a leather jacket, spiked hair, and eyeliner."

"Eyeliner?" I laughed.

"And he looked good too. Despite what my friends said, I went dancing with him when he asked me. He told me his name, and we kissed but, neither of us got a number or an address. I never figured I'd see him again."

"So, how did that work out?"

"The following day I went to the university, considering furthering my education here and this beautiful, clean-cut blond man walked up to me. He was in khakis and a lab coat. I nearly punched him when he touched me," she laughed happily, "and then he said 'Esme, it makes me a little sad that you don't remember the kiss we shared last night because I know I will never forget it.' I melted."

"That is so sweet!" I said, smiling slightly. Edward was a lot like his father in that way.

"We were married exactly a month after that first kiss," she sighed. "We were married in Paris. So lovely."

"Wow, that's quick."

"Worked out well, wouldn't you say?" She smiled, putting the final shovels worth of dirt on top of the roots. I hadn't even realized that we had been working for that long. Or that we were done. "When you know, you know. Or at least that's how the men in the Cullen family are. Edward's Uncle Liam married his wife a week after they met and they've been married thirty-five years."

"Wow!" I gasped.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when a pair of hands wrapped around my shoulders. "Like Aunt Siobhan would have let it happen any other way."

I turned slowly to see Edward standing there in nothing but jogging pants and a pair of shoes, his body dripping with sweat despite the cold. His hair was slicked back, and his cheeks flushed.

And he looked hot. So fucking hot.

"That's true! Liam does whatever Siobhan wants," Esme giggled. "Carlisle is a bit more defiant."

"Yeah right! Dad is putty in your palms, just like I am with Bella," he said before leaning in and kissing my cheek lightly.

"I wouldn't say that," I breathed out stupidly, unable to take my eyes off of him.

He leaned in, his lips brushing my ear, "I've told you that I would serve you in any way you wished. I am your slave."

"So what do you two have planned for today?" Esme asked, breaking up the moment. Which was probably a good thing. I needed to learn to control myself around his family. Edward just wasn't mine for the taking.

"Whatever Bella wants," Edward winked at me playfully. "But, I do know a shower is coming up for me very shortly."

"Me too," I agreed. "I'm covered in dirt."

"Are you staying for lunch?" Esme asked.

Edward looked over at me for an answer, and I shrugged. "That's fine with me if that's okay."

"Darlin, you are always welcome! Do you have anything planned?"

"I haven't really thought about it," I told her truthfully.

"I have an idea!" Esme said, clapping her hands together happily. I noticed that it was a sort of a habit for her. "Why don't we all go to the zoo? I haven't been in ages! And then maybe we can all go to dinner as a family."

Edward once again looked at me for an answer, to which I smiled. "Yeah, Mum. Sounds nice. Why don't the two of us get cleaned up? When is lunch being served?"

"One," Esme answered, taking off her gloves.

"Should be plenty of time then."

"You know, you're going to spoil me with this showering together. Once we get home, I'm going to have to learn to shower by myself again, and I'm not going to like it," I complained. Edward chuckled, wrapping his arms around my waist as he pulled me into the room we were sharing. I could smell the musky scent of his sweat, and the aroma made me a little light headed. I laid my nose against his chest, taking in a deep breath.

"I wouldn't suggest you do that." Edward's chest rumbled with laughter.

"You smell so good," I moaned, breathing in again before sliding my fingers just down the back of his black pants.

"You're insane," he chuckled, rubbing his hand down my back. "And Bella, if I had my way we would never shower apart again."

"I wish," I breathed. "That's a nice fantasy."

"I want to make it a reality," he whispered softly as he put his fingers underneath my chin, lifting it up so I would look into his eyes. "Would you like that?"

"Yes," I said, pulling his hand up to my lips, kissing his fingers lightly. "Now, come on! Let's go get cleaned up before we don't leave this room for the rest of the day."

"Damn! I like that idea better," he groaned, pouting slightly.

"Come on, I want to go to the zoo," I giggled, tugging on his arm.

"If I promise to act like a wild animal, can we stay in bed?" He said, wiggling his eyebrows at me. I groaned loudly, rolling my eyes at his random weirdness.

"No, zoo."

"Damn," he pouted but then smiled at me innocently. "Come on, let's get showered then."

We did shower together, but we did behave this time. Edward got out before me so he could go ahead and shave. Of course, I would take a lot longer because I needed to blow dry my hair. There was no way I was going out with wet hair in this weather. I wasn't going to take a chance on getting sick while in London.

Edward was dressed and clean shaven by the time I got out of the shower, sporting a sweater vest over a button-down shirt and a pair of blue jeans. He looked so cute with his bare feet against the marble flooring.

"I'll meet you out there," he said, kissing my cheek lightly, leaning in so he wouldn't get wet himself.

"Okay, I'll be out in a second," I assured him, unwrapping the towel from my body and rubbing it against my hair. Edward groaned loudly. "What?"

"You're dripping wet and naked, and you're asking me _what_? Honestly, woman..." he said, shaking his head. "Sometimes, I worry."

I laughed at his cheesiness, rolling my eyes as I shook my head. "Get out of here."

"Easier said than done when you have a view like this," he said, taking the towel from me and running it down my back. Once it was all dry, he smacked my ass and tossed me back the towel. "Well, better get out there!"

He was out before I yelled that he was a wicked tease. I heard the phrase, 'I know' as the door shut behind him.

I worked quickly on my hair, making it a messy mass of curly hair. I pulled it up into a ponytail at the crown of my skull before applying a bit of light makeup. After that, I got dressed and headed into our bedroom to put some socks and shoes on before joining them for lunch.

"Dad, there has to be some way I can get out of this," I heard Edward's voice from behind a door. I wasn't sure where it was coming from. I stood still a minute, trying to figure it out. "This is stupid."

"Edward, they are your family. You should see them."

"I am not related to people like that. Why are you trying so hard to please them now?"

"Because Edward they are the only family we have left."

"No, Dad, it's the only family that you have left. I have an entire family across the pond. That's why I didn't want to come back with you when you moved back here. Why should I put Bella through that?"

"Edward, they can be very civil."

"Civil?" Edward scoffed. "I remember Grandmother calling me the little half breed bastard more than once. What will she say about Bella?"

"Edward, I've talked to them. I made sure they understand the importance of Bella to you. Please, do this for me. Your mother is," Carlisle said, sighing heavily.

"That's because Mum has a backbone of steel. She lets whatever they say roll off of her like rain."

"Please?"

"Fine. The moment they say something crass or rude, I'm leaving. I'm taking Bella, and we're going, and I'm not going to see them again. I love Bella, and I will not allow them to say a single bad word about her."

"Do you think I want them to say those things about you or your mother?"

That cold question was met by silence. Edward came stomping out of a room two doors down. I bit my lip, looking at him shyly. His green eyes flashed towards me, instantly softening. "All ready for lunch?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah, let me get my shoes."

I went into the bedroom and began to put on my socks. Edward followed behind, deciding to do the same thing. "How much did you hear?"

"Enough," I said, looking up at him as I tried to slip on my right shoe. "Edward, you don't have to worry about me. I'm a big girl. I can handle myself. If it becomes too much, I'll stand up for myself."

"I don't want you to have the need to," he said softly. "Bella, I can't... I won't let them talk to you the way they do my mother. My father always wished that they would warm up to her. They haven't. In all this time, they haven't. I don't want to waste of second of my time trying to please people who are this horrible and nasty."

I stood up and walked over to him, putting my arms around his waist. "I'll be fine," I assured him. "Nothing they can say will bother me. Well, maybe annoy me. But not upset me. Now, let's go get some lunch and then go to the zoo."

"Okay," he breathed, taking my hand so we could walk together to the dinner table.

We had Shepherd's pie, which I had never had before, for lunch. It was perfect actually. I asked Edward if he could make it and he assured me he could.

"Mum, any pudding?" He asked when he pushed away his plate. I giggled, and he looked at me innocently. He winked playfully at me, smiling then innocently at his mother.

You could practically see her mother melting on the spot. Someone was a bit of a momma's boy, but I kind of liked that. It was nice to see his relationship with his mother.

"Of course, darlin! You know I always have dessert on hand. What about a piece of pie and some coffee before we head out?"

"Oh, pie," I said, standing up when Esme did. "I'll help you."

"So, what's the real reason you're helping me with dessert?" Esme asked me with that same raised eyebrow that Edward had. It was rather uncanny, actually.

"Edward and Carlisle were having a disagreement earlier. They barely said anything to each other during dinner. I'm going to give them a chance to make nice," I said, shrugging as I put the carafe of coffee on the tray Esme provided me.

"You're going to be a fine mother one day," she smiled brightly, putting a sweet smelling pastry on the tray along with a few plates and clean forks.

"Esme, you know, I'm not going to pop out a kid next week," I teased her, taking it all in stride.

"One can hope." She smiled, bumping my hip into mine. "You know it's all innocent, don't you?"

"Sure it is," I drew out. "You don't want grandchildren at all."

"Are you joking? Of course, I want grandchildren! And if Edward had them with you? That would be wonderful! Cullen men can't resist a woman from Texas. I'm just kidding about the timing. Take your time. I mean, NOT too much time, of course."

"You're awful," I laughed, taking the tray for her. She went to the door and held it opened for me. When we came into the dining room, Edward and Carlisle were chatting away about football. Edward gave me a small smile and mouthed the words 'thank you' to me when I passed him his piece of pie.

"Mm, this looks lovely, ladies," Carlisle said charmingly. "Come on. Let's hurry up or we'll never make it to the zoo."

The London Zoo was only a few minutes away, and it wasn't that busy since it was a weekday. Carlisle and Esme were members and Edward and I had the cards, so we basically went right inside. It was an incredibly relaxing afternoon.

By far my favorite animal was Golden Lion Tamarin. It was a cute little monkey like creature. I think it was a type of monkey anyway. He was tiny and covered with bright colored fur. Edward's was lamely the Spider monkey. He said that they always looked like they had fun.

I guess I could agree with that.

Esme took a very long time at the birds. The owls seemed to be her favorite. They had a decent selection of them for her see.

Carlisle just seemed to be taking the whole thing in, enjoying having his family together for the first time in a long time. I wanted to tell him that I understood what it was like to be almost alone in this world and not really liking the family you had left. My father's words came to mind from Christmas Eve when he was referring to my mother.

"_That woman hasn't been normal a day in her life, but she's a part of you. You haven't always done what's normal. It made you... you. I know she's crazy. I know she's completely bat shit, but she does love you."_

I hadn't even met Edward's grandparents yet, and I was starting to understand my mother a little bit more. I was beginning to be thankful that she was just a little crazy and not... well, _evil_.

I decided I would try to approve the relationship I had with my mother at the start of the New Year. It was, unofficially, added to the list.

**She planted a tree and we learned a little bit about Carlisle and Esme!**

**I want to thank everyone who takes the time to review! You are all so awesome. **

**Thanks for reading! **


	29. Chapter 29

**Sir James and Victoria Cullen**

The ride to Edward's grandparents was quiet. Not blissfully so, either. I could practically taste the tension between Carlisle, Esme, and Edward.

I couldn't help but wonder what all of it was about. If they didn't like these people that much, why did they try so hard? I knew I still tried to please Renee in my own way, but she wasn't to this level. She was, at the very least, likable when she wanted to be.

Hell, she even gave me the idea for my list. Perhaps I should be thanking her for that, even though she didn't know about it.

These people didn't appear to be likable in the least.

We came to a large home surrounded by a large black iron gate. I honestly had no idea where we were. I guess I should have been paying attention, but I was having a hard time doing so. All my focus was on my very stiff boyfriend beside me, his hand clenched tightly in my own.

"Liam's here," Carlisle said quietly, and I watched as a handsome blond man stepped out of a small yet extremely fancy car. He was older than Carlisle by at least ten years, the wrinkles on his face more defined. A small woman came out next, her skin a cold cream white and her hair a coffee black. She was gorgeous but had very obviously had plastic surgery. Though, she was attractive in her way.

Nobody had that full of lips without having some sort of surgery. It just wasn't possible or natural.

"Carl!" The man said brightly as Edward's father stepped out of the car. Liam opened the door for Esme who got out slowly. She wasn't her normal excited self, and that made me worry even more. "Esme, you look lovely as ever."

"Thank you." She gave him a polite smile before going to stand beside her husband.

"Edward, my goodness! Look at you!" He said, leaving his words to that before turning his gaze to me. "And who is this lovely lady? Bella, I assume?"

"Hello," I said politely. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you as well," he assured me, put a hand on the small of his wife's back. "This is Siobhan. Carlisle said some very nice things about you the other night."

I blushed and looked over at Carlisle, who was smiling slightly. It was the first time I had seen anyone really smile since we left this afternoon from Edward's parent's home.

"That was very kind of him." I ducked my head.

"Oh, she's a shy one! I like that!" Liam chuckled as he wiggled his eyebrows, patting Edward on the back sharply. "Makes them more fun."

"Must you always be so crude?" Edward said, trying to hide the laughter in his voice. He didn't do an excellent job of it.

"Have you met your uncle?" The woman asked, going over to Edward's side. "Yes, he must be. I think he'd stop breathing otherwise."

He hugged her briefly, giving her a small smile. "Hm, guess you're right. How have you been?"

"Wonderful! We just came back from a vacation in India. So interesting. I think you'd like it, Edward."

"I'd like to go one day." He smiled, squeezing my hand. I knew exactly what that meant. It meant that he wanted to go with me one day. Honestly, I wanted that too. I wanted to go all around the world with him.

The woman finally turned her attention to me and offered me her hand. I shook it slowly and gave her a small smile. "Nice to meet you," she said politely.

"Well, shall we get this over with?" Carlisle finally asked after several more minutes of polite conversation. I hadn't realized it, but everyone except for me was just stalling for time. "The sooner we have food, the sooner we can leave."

"Quite," Liam said. "As always, you are right, little brother. Shall we then?"

"If we must," both women muttered, following their husbands towards the stately manor. I looked up at Edward with slight confusion.

"Are they rude to her too?" I asked, nodding my head towards Liam's wife.

"Oh, yes. She's Welsh. My grandparents basically think she's trash. Some people over here consider the Welsh to be..." he stopped to think his words out carefully. "Well, to basically be like the rednecks of England. Just another prejudice. I think there are very few people that make it through their seal of approval. They'd find something to hate about them."

"We should go in there." I nodded my head towards the open door. Esme was hanging back, waiting for us. She looked back at the car longingly.

"I guess you're right," he sighed quietly. "Let's go, my love."

Edward possessively put his hand on the small of my back as he led me through the doorway. Inside was... _gaudy_. Well, to me anyway. There seemed to be something to look at everywhere. And everything seemed to be from the Victorian Era. Esme muttered something about being in the sitting room, and Edward nodded his head, pushing me in that direction without a word.

Two older people were sitting on a loveseat, but neither one of them seem to be comfortable with the other. The woman who had unnaturally red hair piled on top of her head had her hands in her lap, her back extremely stiff like there was a metal rod shoved up her... well, you know. Her silk blouse went all the way to her chin, and she was wearing a pair of black slacks. Everything about her was perfectly done. Overly so, even.

And I could tell by the lines on her face that she never smiled. Ever.

The older man was slightly different, leaning back on the couch in his suit. It looked like he could start conducting business at any moment. His hair was light, a cotton white blond. His dark eyes were tight, his lips pursed as his gaze settled on me. It made me slightly uncomfortable, but I ignored it.

"Ah, there you are, Edward. We were wondering if you were ever going to join us," the man said, waving his hand for us to sit. We went to a chair across the room, and I was going to allow Edward to sit, but he insisted that I did, hovering over me protectively with his hands on my shoulders.

"Manner's, Edward. Please remember them. Make an introduction," the woman said, frowning towards her grandson. There were no happy feelings between the two, not like with Elizabeth- Esme's mother.

"Isabella Swan, I would like to introduce you to my grandparents, Sir James and Mrs. Victoria Cullen," he said almost coldly.

_Sir?_ He hadn't told me that he had some kind of _position_. I looked up at him and frowned, he sighed, rubbing my shoulder gently.

"How do you do," Victoria said, not even looking at me. I knew both of them knew who I was. I wondered why they were pretending they didn't. I wasn't going to say anything though.

"Hello," I breathed out, feeling my cheeks flush.

"May I offer you a refreshment?" His grandfather said, his eyes not leaving mine. I shook my head before clearing my hoarse throat.

"No, thank you."

We stayed in the most uncomfortable silence I had ever been in for maybe ten minutes before a woman came in and politely said that dinner was ready.

"Thank God," I heard Esme mutter under her breath as we walked into another room. I heard Victoria click her tongue in annoyance, hearing the sentiment that I was sharing. I had a feeling that I wasn't the only one.

Two people came out, passing out plates. I had no idea what was being served. It looked like turkey maybe... but covered in some sort of sauce. It honestly didn't look that good to me, and I could tell by the expression on Edward's face that he didn't either.

"So Bella, tell us about yourself," Siobhan asked, cutting out the meat and popping a little bit into her mouth. I could tell by her expression that she didn't like it, but she kept going. Like the faster she ate the quicker this would end.

I looked over at Edward for guidance and he kind of shrugged, tilting a weary head over to his grandparents who seemed to be paying attention to their food only. That was fine with me. I took a big sip of my wine before clearing my throat.

"Um, well, I own my own business. I create websites," I said, beginning with the easiest and probably the most harmless conversation possible.

"Interesting!" Liam said, nodding his head. "I'm not very good with computers. Carlisle's a bit more caught up on the technologies than I am," he chuckled, making his brother smirk. "What type of websites?"

"All kinds. I'm freelance. I've done things from pet shops to restaurants to construction companies," I explained before taking a tiny bite of my vegetables. I was avoiding the meat as much as possible.

"Do you have a favorite?" Siobhan asked politely, trying to keep the conversation up. It was easier said than done, the tension so thick you could cut it with a damn spoon.

I didn't have to think about that answer at all. "Edward's. We launched it just before Christmas. Though, I might be a little bit biased."

Edward placed his hand on my thigh and gave it a gentle squeeze. I smiled at him, our eyes meeting as I put my hand on his.

"Are you still a musician?" Victoria asked suddenly, turning her attention to her grandson.

"Yes, ma'am. I am."

She huffed a little bit, turning her attention back to her meal. "I was so hoping you'd find an actual profession by now."

"Mother," Carlisle said in a low warning tone.

She ignored him, "a profession with respect. A position of power. It's a shame. You had so much potential."

I sucked in a soft gasp, feeling the anger fill inside of me. I placed a hand on Edward's stiff thigh, but he just shook his head, his eyes staring right back at his grandmother.

"I do well enough. I make a decent living. I enjoy what I do," Edward defended.

"You're a Cullen," James cut in, finally getting in on the conversation. "You should have been a lawyer like me or your uncle. Or a Doctor like your father."

Liam laughed, "you hated it when Carl said he wanted to be a doctor."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." The older gentlemen rolled his eyes, taking a sip of his drink.

Both Carlisle and Esme scoffed. There was some sort of bad blood here that I was missing.

_Can we leave yet?_ I so wanted to go. This was horrible. Edward was upset, rightfully so, as was Esme. Everyone would be happier when this evening was over.

Siobhan cleared her throat, obviously wanting to move away from that subject. Apparently, the only thing she could think about to talk about was me.

_Gee, thanks..._

"So, Bella, did you have to go to school for that or are you naturally talented with computers?"

"I was always good with computers," I explained, but I shook my head, "but I needed a lot more formal training to do what I do now. I have a BS in Computer Science from Texas Tech."

"Ah, that's wonderful! Higher education is always a good thing. Have you ever considered going back? Maybe getting a degree in business?" Liam asked.

"I've never really thought about it, but I'm sure it probably wouldn't be a horrible thing if I did. Maybe it should be something I should consider," I smiled at him. He smiled in return, but it was strained.

"So, you are from Texas as well, I take it?" Victoria asked with a critical eye.

"Yes, ma'am," I said with a thick southern drawl. Edward smiled before pursing his lips together, trying not to make it too obvious. "I was born and bred there."

"Honestly! What is it about Cullen men and women from America?" She said, shaking her head in disgust. "Especially Texas. Maybe there is something in the water there."

"Grandmother," Edward said quietly, "my relationship with Bella has nothing to do with where she is from. It's has everything to do with who she is. I'm sure Dad feels the same way about Mum."

"Actually, where they are from is a large part of who they are. I love Esme for it," Carlisle, looking over at his parents as he spoke. I saw Esme smile for the first time in hours. I could tell that he was getting to the end of his rope very quickly.

"I don't see why you would want to marry someone as low class as-"

"Now see here!" Edward said, standing up and slamming his hands down on the table. "That is completely uncalled for. My mother is a wonderful and caring person."

"Your manners, Edward. Sit down," James said, interrupting his grandson.

"What a joke! You telling me to mind my manners when you literally have none. Have you any idea how rude you really are?"

"We are not being rude, Edward. Lower your voice. We are simply stating the facts. Both you and your father could have done so much better than," Victoria smirked, "well, do I really need to say it? I'm sure you know."

It was Esme's turn to get really pissed off. She stood up, knocking over her chair as she did so. "You evil old rotten bitch. How dare you speak to Bella and me that way! We are just as good as you, if not better."

"Esme, darling," Carlisle said, trying to calm his wife quietly but she gave him an evil look that made him shrink back. It was a look of '_I told you so_' mixed with _'I'm not going to take it anymore_.' Carlisle cleared his throat. "Mother, you promised to behave."

"Mother, be reasonable. You can't control who you fall in love with," Liam interrupted. Apparently, it was a mistake to draw attention to himself.

"Perhaps, but if you pay them enough, they usually go away. Remember that little strumpet from New York that you were so determined to marry? The one before you met this one," she said, nodding her head towards Siobhan. "Why do you think she called off the wedding? We would have done it with her, but you got married before we got the chance."

Siobhan gasped, putting her hand up to her mouth. "How could you do that? To your own son!"

"Why are you complaining? Because of that, you married him instead," James said, rolling his eyes. He was steadily eating his dinner like nothing was going on. "Not that you gave him any heirs."

Both Liam and his wife stood up at the same time and began to yell, which were then mixed with Esme's. Carlisle was steadily trying to keep the peace, but it was not working. Edward shrank back, his face red. I took his hand, and the look in his eyes was almost... _dead_. I wondered if this is how I looked that night with Renee.

It didn't matter though. I knew exactly what I needed to do. I needed to get him out of there.

I stood up and tugged him along with me. No one seemed to notice our retreat as their shouting match became louder and more out of control. James had said something and Carlisle finally exploded, adding his voice into it.

By the time we reached the outdoors, Edward was gasping for air. "I am so sorry."

"It's not your fault," I assured him, hugging him tightly.

"Yes, it is! I knew this would end badly. How could it not? I didn't want to go in the first place. But I didn't want to disappoint my father. Just like he didn't want to disappoint his own."

"James and Carlisle are two different men though."

"I know," he said, rubbing his forehead roughly before closing his eyes. "But next time I will tell him no. I refuse to be around people like that again. Their snobbery knows no bounds. I am truly sorry, my darling."

"It's not your fault," I repeated myself, frowning. I had a feeling he was going to do this for the rest of the night if I didn't distract him. "Well, since we seem to have the rest of the evening I was wondering if you'd like to do something."

"What's that?" He asked, taking a deep breath like he was trying to clear his mind for me. For once, I didn't want to know what he was thinking. I knew whatever it was dark and angry and towards himself. All I wanted to do was erase them.

"Well, after getting some real food why don't we mark something off of my list?" I said, stepping closer to him and wrapping my arms around his shoulders.

"Which one?" He asked curiously.

"I think both of us could use a night to ourselves, don't you?" I asked softly, running my fingers over the back of his neck. "We could go to a very nice hotel and stay in. Maybe get a little take out. Make love. Watch a movie."

"I love how you just throw that in the middle there," he chuckled, pulling me closer to him so he could rest my forehead against his. "Making love is always on the top of _my_ list."

"Come on then. Why don't we go into the city and find a nice hotel to stay at? I'll get the hotel, you get the food?" I said, nuzzling his ear softly. He moaned softly, his hands gripping my hips tighter. It felt so good to be in his arms after that.

"Can I tell you something and not upset you?" He muttered softly, taking in a deep breath.

"Of course. You can tell me anything, sweetheart."

"I thought that you'd be more... _upset_... after some of the things they said. I thought it would be me comforting you, not the other way around."

"It didn't bother me because I knew it wasn't true," I told him, placing a hand on his cheek. "I am a good person. I am lucky to be with you, yes. But not because of who you are but what you are. You are a great man. A wonderful man. _My_ man."

"I think you can cross something else off your list," he whispered softly, running his fingers over my cheek gently.

"And what's that?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Loving yourself. You would have never said those things before when we first met."

"If I love myself, it's because of you," I told him truthfully. "You make me happy to be me."

Edward shook his head, his beautiful red hair moving in the wind as he gazed down at me with his loving green eyes. "Bella, I'm glad that I make you feel that way, but I don't think that's the reason at all."

"What's the reason then?" I asked with a small smirk, running my fingers over his lips. He smiled briefly, kissing my fingertips lightly. "Since you are so smart."

He chuckled, placing both of his hands on my face so that I would look up at him. "I may have helped, but you love yourself because of who you are. You are a wonderful person. You are smart, and you are funny. You are sexy, and you are so beautiful. I just gave you the mirror, it's your own reflection that you see."

I rose up on my tippy toes and kissed him firmly, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck so he couldn't go anywhere. He kept his hands in place, returning my kiss with more than a little vigor. I moaned softly against his mouth, feeling his arousal against my stomach.

It was actually one of the other reasons I was happy to be me. He wanted to be with me for some reason, and I got all the wonderful benefits that went with that.

I brought his bottom lip into my mouth, tugging on it gently before releasing it. I looked once again into his eyes, and they were practically brewing with desire. It was dripping from his tongue when he kissed me and flowed from his fingertips as he touched me.

"Let's go before we give the neighbors a show."

"That's an excellent idea. And then I can show you exactly how much I adore your gorgeous body."

**That's a really good one to cross off this chapter, I think. **

**Also, his grandparents are horrrrrrible. Have you ever been witness to another family's big breakdown fight? Awkward af. **

**If you're enjoying still, please let me know! We're over halfway done now! **

**Thanks for reading!**


	30. Chapter 30

**I think I'm turning Japanese. **

I asked the cab driver which was the nicest hotel in the city... He didn't even answer. He just drove, saying that he knew the perfect place if you were going for high class.

Edward gasped when we pulled in front of the large and rather old style building. "The Ritz? Do you know how much this place costs a night? Honestly, it's a load! Darling, we can find a-"

I put my hand over his lips, paying the cab driver before I got out. He scrambled to follow behind me. "So, this is nice?"

"Very nice and it's very expensive," Edward said, trying to catch up to me. "Overpriced if you asked me."

"Right up my alley then," I smiled at him wickedly, biting my lip when I saw his annoyed expression. "Edward, I have the money for this. Remember the casino money? Well, I still have most of it. Let me do this. This is so much more fun than what I originally imagined my five-star hotel visit would be like."

"What did you imagine it would be like?" He asked almost like a child, pouting out his bottom lip a little bit.

"I imagined that I'd be carrying my fat ass to some hotel in Dallas, spending the entire time watching movies on cable, and then ordering room service before I decided to go home because I was bored. Edward, this is so much better. Come on," I said seductively, running my hands over his shoulders as I stepped closer to him. "Imagine it. Us there, alone. No one else in the world but us. A bottle of champagne and some delicious take out. Then, we can make love for hours and hours." I ran my hands down his chest. "On every surface of our hotel room."

He groaned loudly, tilting his head back and closing his eyes tightly. "God, that does sound fantastic."

"Good. Because that's what I want to do. Why don't you go ask one of the staff what some of the best delivery places are around here and get some numbers and I'll go get us a room?" I said, leaning up and lightly nipping his chin.

"You knew you were going to get your way right away, didn't you?" He asked with a slight smirk. I nodded my head, making him chuckle.

"Well, you did say you wanted to serve me and that you are my slave..." I said before turning and walking away, swinging my hips the entire time. I heard him groan again, his footsteps echoing against the pavement as he followed.

It was going to be such a fun night.

It took a little while to find a room that was available since it was a couple of days before New Years. Thankfully there were some cancellations, and we were able to slip in there. Just about the time I got our keys Edward was returning with several slips of paper which looked like menus.

"Wow, wide selection," I commented, and he shrugged.

"Honestly, it's more Japanese and Thai than anything else. Japanese sounds really good unless you'd like something else."

"Mm, no. That sounds good. We should just get a bunch of stuff and indulge."

"Sounds good to me," he said, taking my hand and bringing it up to his lips. "So, shall we go to our room so we can decide what we want to eat?"

"Oh my god! They have duck sushi!" I said excitedly, looking over the menu that Edward showed me first as we lounged on the bed. He laughed, leaning over to look as well. "See, duck! I've never seen duck sushi before."

"Would you like to try some?" He asked, taking the menu from my fingers. "Mm, I see a few things I wouldn't mind trying."

"Yup!" I said, clapping my hands together like Esme.

"It is so easy to please you," he laughed, smiling at me. "So, tell me what you want. Write it down, and I'll order it. It doesn't look like they have any champagne though. Would you rather have some sake?"

"I've never had it." I shrugged, biting my bottom lip.

"Neither have I. We can have a first together," he said, leaning over and kissing my cheek lightly. "Hurry up and pick stuff out. I'm starving. What they were serving at _Sir James'_ was shite."

"By the way, that reminds me," I said as I began to write things down. It was going to be a long list. "You didn't tell me that he was a 'Sir' anything."

"Oh, he was a barrister," I raised an eyebrow in his direction. "Lawyer. He served in parliament for a bit. He was knighted for all his _'loyal service to the queen,'_" he said, using air quotes. "He thinks he's important, but he's not. Hell, Jon Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise has been knighted!"

I laughed loudly, shaking my head. He began to laugh too, leaning over and hugging me tightly. "Okay, write. Woman, I'm hungry. So hurry up before I eat you."

"Ohhh..." I drew out, but he gave me a stern look, making me go back to my writing.

We finally decided on a sampler of sorts. It was far too much sushi for the two of us, but there was a small fridge in the room so we could save some for later if wanted to. We also ordered soup, salad, and some edamame. Well, that and the sake. That was bound to be an interesting experience. I just knew I was not going to drink as much as I did the other night.

"They said that it will be around forty five minutes. What shall we do to entertain ourselves?" He asked smoothly. I couldn't help myself.

I threw myself at him, hard, wrapping both my arms around legs around his tight firm body. He moaned loudly as our lips connected fiercely and he didn't hold back for a single second. His hands went to my ass, squeezing it tightly as he held me up.

He didn't stumble once as he walked us purposely over to the bed, laying down and hovering over me. My hands were everywhere, touching his hair and his back before grabbing his ass. He actually squeezed it in surprise as I did, his hips thrusting forward in an effort to get away from my hands. I liked it so much I did it three more times.

"If you don't stop that I'm going to tie you up," he laughed, swatting my hands away from his ass.

Of course, I did it again.

So, that's how I ended in the position I was in when someone knocked on the door. I was completely nude, tied to the headboard with the sheet in such a way I wouldn't be able to get away if I wanted to. All Edward had done, besides getting me undressed and tied up, was kiss me. And kiss me everywhere but where I wanted him to kiss. I was aching for him to touch me, our hunger was all but forgotten. Edward groaned loudly from his position between my breasts, the sound echoing in the valley between them. He stretched up, shirtless and beautiful. I wanted him so badly. "I suppose that's the food."

"Okay, untie me."

An evil grin came over his face. Like Esme's a few days before, I mean genuinely evil. Something fluttered in his expression, an idea dancing in his brain.

"No. You stay there. I'll be right back."

"Stay here?" I asked loudly. "Like I have a choice?"

"You don't. So behave."

I groaned at him, but he just chuckled, leaning down to take my nipple in his mouth for just a moment. He let it go with a pop, and I nearly screamed when he threw the blanket over my body. It was unlikely that the person delivering the food would have seen me, but still.

"Hm, what do we have here?" Edward asked teasingly as he began to pull things from the bag onto the small table in the corner. He popped open a box of some of the rolls we ordered and grabbed a couple of packets of soy sauce. "Seems like we don't have any plates..." he trailed off, throwing the blanket off of my naked body. "Do you mind?"

My brain stopped working for a minute. A long minute. He... wanted... to eat sushi off of my naked body? My mind sputtered to a start, making my entire body flush. Edward smiled brightly, and I knew that he saw it. And that he wouldn't take no for an answer.

Not that I would have said no.

He sat on the bed beside me and slowly, and very carefully, arranged the pieces of Maki along my body. There was a line of three about two inches apart from the other from my chest down to my stomach. Then, Edward put a circle of five around my belly button before finally putting two on each of my thighs.

"What are you going to do with that?" I asked quietly as he tore the soy sauce open with his teeth. He didn't say anything as he began to pour it in my belly button.

I squealed- very loudly. He laughed at my expression. "Don't wiggle about too much or you'll make a mess. We wouldn't want that, now would we?"

"You better be happy I have a thing for cleanliness," I said with a pout.

"I am," he chuckled, running a finger over the side of my breast. "I wouldn't have done that otherwise. Besides, this is so fucking hot for me."

"My belly button is going to smell like soy sauce for a week," I complained.

"I'll help you get clean," he said in a suggestive voice that sent shivers to my very exposed lady bits. Picking up the piece of salmon from right between my breasts and dipped it lightly into the soy sauce before popping it into his mouth, he hummed in pleasure. "Delicious."

I certainly hoped he was planning on having Bella Jello for dessert because that's what I was turning into at the moment. Did he know how hot he was? He was melt-worthy.

He took one of the pieces from my thigh and dabbed it lightly in the dark brown sauce before bringing it to my lips. I took it from his fingertips readily, licking my lips to get some of the extra sauce off. Edward blushed lightly as he watched, biting his bottom lip softly. Our eyes stayed locked on the other, taking in deep breaths as the heat passed between us.

This went on for a long while, Edward feeding himself a bite before feeding me one. When we got to the last bite, there was no more soy sauce left in his makeshift bowl. It was in the center of my stomach, the lone piece of tuna. Edward placed his hands on my sides before leaning forward and taking it directly off my skin with his mouth. I moaned loudly, throwing my head back as I arched toward him.

"I think that's enough of that," Edward whispered quietly after he finished his maki. He went to the table and retrieved a napkin to clean my stomach with before finally untying me. With loving hands, he rubbed my wrists and brought them to his mouth to kiss. When he was done, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him towards me for a passion filled kiss. When he pulled away, he was gasping. "Would you like to eat before the soup gets cold?" He asked breathlessly.

I just shook my head.

About an hour later we were sitting nude on the bed, both wrapped up and sheets and blankets as we munched on our sushi and salad. We were both satisfied in more than one way. Edward put a bit of lettuce in his mouth, using just his fingers since he was too lazy to get the chopsticks that were on the table.

I was okay with that. It was fun to watch him suck his fingers clean.

I was so going to fondle him later in entertaining and dirty ways.

"What's on your mind?" He smirked, offering me a bite of salad. I took it, licking my lips clean.

"Sexy fun," I teased him. "What's on your mind?"

He expression changed slightly, a sadness passing over his face before he looked away. "I think we'll just stick to what you're thinking right now."

"Tell me," I said softly, moving closer to him. "It's upsetting you, and I don't want anything to ruin tonight."

"Battle scars," he said softly. I cocked my head to the side, looking at him curiously. "We both have them. Inside and out. I was just thinking about how many we have from our families."

I put down my food and rearranged myself so that I was sitting on my knees while looking at him, still completely wrapped up in my sheet. "You know it doesn't change anything, right?"

"I know. Just like they don't change how I feel about you. Your mother has left a mark on you. My grandparents on me. It's just frustrating. I wish I could heal them, but I know I can't. Mine and yours. I wish I could fix us both."

"Scars are just reminders of the past. And a warning," I told him, running my fingers over his jaw slowly.

"A warning?" He asked softly.

"A warning to not let things like that happen again. My scars remind me to not take people for granted the way my mother has. Reminds me to love those around me for all that I'm worth. And to see the value of the people who love me," I told him firmly, leaning over and kissing his forehead. "Your scars remind you to look, I mean really _look_, before you judge someone."

"I'm still sorry for some of the things they said. For the drama you had to see," he sighed softly, bringing his hand up to my shoulder. "I feel awful for that."

"Don't," I said. "They are not you. I don't care about them. They are so beneath you and me. They have no idea. I think the real reason they're bitter is that they're jealous."

"Maybe so," he shrugged, smiling at me slowly. "You are right though. They are beneath us."

Since we had stumbled across the conversation of scars, I decided to go with it. I ran my fingers along his hips, tracing the physical scars there. "Where did you get these from?"

Edward instantly blushed. "You'll laugh, I'm sure."

"I highly doubt it," I said, rolling my eyes.

"It's very vain, honestly. I've only told two people about it, besides my family. And that's Alice and Jasper."

"That makes me even more curious," I said, leaning down and lightly kissing one of the marks. "Edward, it won't bother me. Sweetheart, I love you. Inside and out. Tell me."

"I wasn't as thin as I wanted to be and I knew that no matter how much I worked out or ran, it wasn't coming off, so I had some work done. Actually, my parents paid for it. It was a birthday present. They knew I hated... well, this part of me," he moved his hand over his stomach before leaning his head back. "So, they helped me out. Like I said, vain."

"I understand it though. The important thing was that you worked on yourself before you had it done. It wasn't the fix, it was just a touch-up," I said, laying my head down on his stomach. He let out a soft sigh, brushing his fingers gingerly over my scalp. "Why would I laugh at that?"

"It's something celebrities do, not normal people."

"Edward, do you like your appearance more now because of it?" I asked him seriously.

"Yes."

"Than that's all that matters."

He pulled me up into his arm and kissed me fiercely, placing his hand on my cheek sweetly. When he pulled away both of us were panting, our lips moist. Edward smiled slightly, leaning forward and brushing his perfectly straight nose against mine. "Let's go drink some sake and eat more sushi. Then, you can pick out a movie, and we can snuggle on the couch."

"You know exactly what to say to a woman," I moaned playfully. He chuckled, kissing me again before swatting my backside so I would get up.

It was the perfect way to spend the evening. Sushi, sex, and movies. It didn't get much better, especially in such a nice hotel.

But, we didn't exactly know what we were going to face the next morning. Were his parents going to be mad that we just left or would they understand? Hell, would they be mad that we didn't come home?

Neither of us knew and honestly, neither one of us wanted to find out, but we needed to get the answer sooner or later.

So, we came back to his parent's home around eleven the next day. Both of the cars were in the driveway so we knew more than likely that they would both be there. We crept into the house, listening for signs of life.

The first we came to was Esme sitting on the couch watching some television while drinking some coffee. When she saw us, she almost split it on herself as she tried to get up.

"There you two are! I was starting to worry."

"I'm sorry, Mum. We decided to stay at a hotel for the night," Edward said quietly, looking a little sad. He seemed so young all of a sudden.

"I kind of figured," she said, nodding her head thoughtfully.

"I'm sorry that we left you there with no backup," he began, but Esme quickly cut him off.

"No, honey! It's okay! Trust me, I understand. And I am damn proud of Bella for not saying a damn thing to those evil people. I wish I had just walked away from them the first time they talked to me like that," she said.

"So, um... What happened after we left?" Edward asked quietly. I rubbed his back gently, and he relaxed slightly.

"Well, it took us about twenty minutes to realize that you two weren't coming back. There was a lot of yelling and shouting. And apparently, James had an affair with an American woman. Which explains a lot," she said, shaking her head. "You should have seen the look on your father and uncle's face when she blurted that little tidbit out. There was a lot of name calling after that."

I was shocked. I just stood there, listening.

"Really?" Edward breathed out. "Then I'm doubly sorry for leaving you there. I wish I could have taken you away from that."

"You won't have to worry about that anymore," Carlisle said, calling attention to himself from the doorway. He looked so tired, deep purple circles underneath his eyes. "I won't allow my family to be put through that again. Liam won't either. Edward, I am so sorry. You were right about the whole thing. I should have listened to you. It was unfair to you and Bella to put you through that."

"No, Carlisle, it's-" I began, but he cut me off.

"No, it's is not fine. You are a part of this family now. You shouldn't have witnessed that. My son knew better, and I should have too. I was just hoping that... that in their old age they would-" he started, struggling for words to express himself.

"Mellow?" I said. He nodded his head. "Carlisle, not a thing they could say would hurt me. Edward warned me. I was prepared. Like I told him, I am a big girl."

"Thank you for being so mature about this," Carlisle said. He unexpectedly came over to me and gave me a hug. I looked at Esme with surprise, but she just smiled. I hugged him back before he went to hug Edward who returned it tightly before kissing his father lightly on the cheek.

It was an extremely sweet and touching gesture. Therefore they had to pretend it didn't happen afterward and pretend that they were manly men.

They backed up, each wrapping an arm around their woman.

"So, we thought that we'd have a quiet evening at home," Edward explained, telling them what we had discussed on the subway ride over here. "If that's alright with you?"

"Of course it is!" Esme rolled her eyes at his silliness like he should have known automatically. "Is there anything you'd like to do?"

"Um, actually, we were thinking about making you some more Mexican, since you won't get mine for a while," Edward said, blushing slightly. I giggled quietly, touching his cheek. He was so cute. "Sans drinks everywhere, hopefully."

"Well, to solve that problem, why don't I make the drinks?" Esme offered. "We'll have to go to the grocery store," she said, tapping her chin with thought as she closed one eye. "I know I don't have everything."

"We'll take care of that," I told her with a slight smile. "You had a stressful enough day yesterday. We got a lot of rest last night. You just... enjoy the day."

Esme came over to me, hugging me tightly. I hugged her back with a laugh, surprised how huggy the entire family was. "You are such a sweet girl. I've said it once, and I'll say it again. I am so glad Edward found such a wonderful girl."

**Well, if she hadn't marked out kinky before, she would after that sushi. **

**If you're enjoying this story please let me know! **

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**Just to let you know, I'm taking Easter off from posting all my stories so I'll see you guys next week. Everyone have a great weekend!**

**Thanks for reading! **


	31. Chapter 31

**New Years**

"Are you sure about this?" Esme asked for the dozenth time since we told her that we were staying in for New Year's. "I mean, I know there are some tickets left. You could borrow some clothes-" she suggested, but I smiled as I shook my head.

As fun as going to fancy ball sounded, I knew exactly what I wanted.

Edward and I, together, completely alone, sharing the bottle of champagne that was chilling in the fridge.

I will admit it, I am boring. But Edward was the first to suggest it. We were both tired, emotionally and physically. We both needed a calm day, especially after some more sightseeing in the afternoon hours.

But, it was still lovely of Esme to offer, even though she was already dressed in her beautiful silk gown. Carlisle was bringing the car around. She would have made him wait an hour if she thought she could get us to agree to go.

"Mum, no! It's okay," Edward laughed, wrapping his arm around me as I sat beside him on the sofa. "We're just going to watch the telly. Maybe go outside and watch the fireworks. Then go to bed. You go out and party. It's fine."

"Are you sure?" She asked, once again. This time with a heavy sigh.

"Yes," we said at the same time, laughing.

"We're boring people," Edward said, mirroring my thoughts from earlier. "Besides, it's our first New Year's together. I want to make it special for Bella," he smiled at me, running a finger over my cheek. I smiled at him, happily stupid.

He made me feel like I was floating on cloud nine.

"Okay, well, you two have fun," Esme said finally, kissing the top of each of our heads. I liked the feeling actually. It made me feel like I was a part of her family.

"Don't get too drunk," Edward said to her, trying to keep a straight face.

Esme decided to ignore him. "The number to the hotel we're staying at is on the fridge if you need us. So is our room number. And you know our cell phone's..."

There was a blaring honk of a horn outside. Edward chuckled, rolling his eyes. "Mum, we are not teenagers. We can fend for ourselves. Go have fun. Don't feel guilty either. I know that is what this is. We're going to have our own brand of fun. Now go! Before Dad leaves you."

"Well, at least you know she loves you," I laughed as the front door closed behind Esme. Edward wrapped his arms around me, kissing my forehead lightly.

"A little too much sometimes. This is much better," he hummed as he put his nose in my hair, taking in a deep breath. "A lovely evening alone with my girl."

"I didn't realize I was a girl," I teased him.

"My girl. Always mine," he said, kissing the top of my head. I sighed softly, taking in a deep breath of his musky scent.

Edward ran his fingers underneath my chin and brought my lips up to his, softly. They were wonderfully warm and tasted sugary sweet, delicious against my tongue. He moaned softly as it entered his mouth, his hand sliding down my neck to my shoulder.

"Is it a little odd to be making out in your childhood home?" I asked with quiet amusement as I trailed kisses along his jaw. He moaned in response, his hand falling down my shoulder to my chest. I giggled as squeezed one of my breasts, pulling me closer with his other hand.

"It's a little hot," he muttered. "The other night when we... well, I was kind of drunk, so it didn't really sink in," Edward breathed against my lips. "It's one of those fantasies that I didn't realize I had until you made it come true."

"You know all the right things to say to a girl," I said with a soft laugh as his moist lips traveled up to my ear.

"We should behave, or we'll never make it until midnight," he spoke into my ear softly.

"I don't see a problem with that," I giggled, kissing him again. He laughed as he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me on top of his body as he laid back against the sofa. I sighed contently, laying my head on his chest.

"I love this," I said quietly.

"I love it, too," he said, stroking my hair. "I want to spend the rest of my life just like this."

I sat up a little bit to look at him, taken aback by his serious expression. "Really?"

"If it's what you want as well, yes," he said, touching my nose. "I'm not... going to rush like my parents have. Or how Uncle Liam has. I'm not going to push you when I know you're not quite ready to go in that direction because I know that you have to work on some things still. I love that about you, and I understand it because I've worked on my own things. But, I am going to say this..." He brought my left hand up to his mouth and kissed my ring finger softly. "One day, I promise to put some piece of pretty jewelry on this finger and work my ass off to make you this happy for the rest of my life."

I felt like my face was going to split open I was smiling so widely. "One day, I promise to do the same. And you know what? When we are both ready, we'll both know it. And thank you..."

"For what?" He asked softly, touching my cheek lightly.

"For being patient. For being kind. For just being you."

Instead of saying anything he pulled me down and kissed me again firmly, his hand going to the back of my head to hold me in place like there was anywhere else I wanted to be.

When it got to be about thirty minutes until midnight Edward and me began to prepare. His mother was kind enough to point out that you could see the fireworks from the sunroom without getting cold, but we still decided to get a blanket. With the quilt neatly folded on the couch, we got our bottle of real French champagne out of the fridge. I opened it while he searched for glasses, finally yielding a pair of unusually colored blue ones. And to go with our bubbly, we had some fine English chocolates.

It was five minutes till midnight when we finally got underneath the blankets with our sparkling drinks.

"Bella, I have to say that this has been one of the best and most frustrating years of my life." He looked at me ruefully, blushing a soft light pink. "But, I wouldn't have had it any other way."

"I have a feeling that next year is going to be even better," I told him truthfully as I draped one leg over his lap. He gave a soft sigh, rubbing his fingers over my blue jean covered thigh.

"I hope so but even if for some reason it wasn't... Bella, I am so grateful for this past year. You've given me so much. You've given me a whole new incredible life. Thank you."

I don't know what it is that makes people sentimental on New Years, but I loved it. Every word he said made me feel drunk, intoxicated by his very presence. It was overwhelming, and I wasn't sure what to say in return.

"Do you know how happy you make me?" I said, scooting closer to him. I actually had to hold back tears. I was stupidly emotionally, my fingers knotting with his collar. "I have never, ever, been this happy in my life. I wish... God, I wish I knew you when I was twenty-five. That I could have known you sooner."

"I wasn't the man I am now," he said, shaking his head and looking away.

"But I would have loved you all the same."

Edward brought me in for a kiss, his fingers slipping underneath my sweater around my neck. The fireworks began to pop above our heads with loud cracking thunder. He pulled away, looking up briefly before looking back at me.

"Happy New Years."

"Happy New Years," I smiled in return.

Though I would have much rather kissed the entire night away, Edward picked up our forgotten champagne glasses and handed me one. "To a wonderfully happy and full new year, filled with adventure and fun."

Our glasses clinked, and we both drank. He raised an eyebrow at the silly grin on my face. "What?"

"You're cheesy, but I like it."

"Well, as long as you like it," he laughed, finishing up the golden liquid quickly before setting his glass down. "So, as long as I'm being cheesy... Why don't I feed you chocolates while you sip your champagne and watch the fireworks?"

"I don't think that sounds cheesy at all," I breathed.

"Oh, and how does it sound then?"

"Incredibly romantic and wonderful but one thing is missing..." I replied back playfully.

"Hm?" He asked as he rubbed further up my thigh underneath the blanket.

"Kisses... lots of kisses."

"Oh, my," he said jokingly, his accent extremely thick. "Now, we can't forget about those, now can we?"

We finished the bottle of champagne, but we forgot about the chocolates. The kisses were better. We spent a good part of the evening making out in the sunroom, long after the fireworks had finished. Finally, we made our way to bed, where the fireworks didn't end until almost dawn.

I was a VERY lucky woman.

"Guess what I got!" Esme clapped her hands excitedly the next morning after they had returned from their hotel visit. Though I couldn't read what was printed on the long white paper, I could only imagine they were tickets of some sort. I briefly registered that Carlisle was rolling his eyes in the background.

"What are those to?"

"Well, you see," Esme began, Texas practically dripping from her voice, "Carlisle was talking about taking Edward to watch some stupid sports thing at a pub tonight, you know to have some father-son bonding time, so I thought that you and I could go to the theater! There is even an after party where you can meet the cast!"

"Really? What play is it?"

"Hamlet!" Esme squealed, and Carlisle actually scoffed. I couldn't resist asking.

"What?"

"Esme has seen it three times already!" He said, shaking his head. "And don't think I don't know why," he said as he passed, poking her ribcage roughly. She swatted his hand away, not paying a bit of attention to him.

"Why is that?" I said, looking at her and wondering what the hell was going on.

"He thinks I have a crush on David Tennant."

"And who is that exactly?" I asked, even more confused. Edward started laughing from his place on the couch.

"David Tennant was in Harry Potter. And he's also on Doctor Who."

"And I don't think, I know you do," Carlisle added in, sitting beside Edward.

I knew a little about Doctor Who and that it was a British TV series, but I wasn't really on top of what it was about. I would have to watch it once I got home. I knew it was something big, and it must have been if Esme did have a crush on him.

Frankly, it just made me more curious.

"So shoot me if I think he's handsome!" Esme said defensively, putting his fists on her waist.

"He looks mad! Like totally fucking barking, Mae," Carlisle said, then quickly blushed and looked away. Edward started to laugh and patted his dad on the back.

"Aw, you're jealous. It's kind of cute, Dad."

Carlisle just whacked him on the back of the head. Edward continued to laugh happily at his father's embarrassment. It was a cute moment actually.

"Anyway," Esme said after clearing her throat. "I would love to take you. Do you want to?"

"Like I could pass up Shakespeare!" I scoffed at her, dramatically rolling my eyes. "That sounds awesome. I think that's a perfect way to spend my last day in England."

"Thank God because I didn't want to go with her again," Carlisle muttered from the couch, his arms crossed over his chest as he looked at the television. This time Esme playfully smacked him on the back of the head, but he just smiled at her before winking, making her giggle like a schoolgirl.

I dressed once again in my sixties style dress. I hadn't brought many clothes with me since Esme agreed to let me use her washing machine. She agreed that losing your luggage just plain sucked and that it made more sense just to bring along a carry-on. I had already arranged to ship all the things I bought while I was there so I wouldn't have to worry about bringing them onto the plane.

I tightened the wrap around me while we walked up to the theater, a chill racking my body. I missed not having Edward with me to keep me warm. I had been with him almost a week solid and having to get used to him staying at his own apartment was not something I was looking forward to.

"So, did you have a good time in the UK... Well, besides the meeting of the crazies?" Esme asked as we waited for the show to start.

"I did, and you know what? They didn't bother me. They're bitter and jealous."

"I wish I were a better person," Esme smirked. "You're exactly right, but they bug the shit out of me. But you don't know how satisfying telling them off was. Good Lord Almighty, they make me madder than an old wet hen."

I laughed, "I get it. I do. My mom pisses me off, but they seem nuts. I'm sorry you have to deal with that."

"Well, I'm not going to deal with it anymore. I'm just waiting for them to die so I can dance on their graves with a bright red dress on. I know that's bad, but some people-" She shook her head angrily. "They're coming back as rats in the next life. Hopefully somewhere awful where there are a lot of cats and snakes. And not at the temple in like India where they worship the damn things."

I snorted, "if there is any justice in this world, huh?"

"Amen."

We laughed at the curtain rose but soon we were lost in the tense and angry eyes of Hamlet, a man who indeed did look barking mad as Carlisle put it.

Lost in the world of Hamlet and Yorick and Ophelia. Of murder and of hate. Of Fear and paranoia.

He might have looked crazy, the actor playing Hamlet, but he did the job fantastically. But, I had to admit when Sir Patrick Stewart came onto the stage as his uncle, I laughed quietly. When Esme asked what was so funny, I just shook my head.

The phrase '_even Jon-Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise has been knighted_' ran across my mind any time he came onto the stage, making me smile a little to myself.

The play lasted just over three hours and every single minute of it was terrific. You could practically feel the madness and anger.

It made me crave the comfort of Edward's touch even more.

"We get to go backstage!" Esme said after the thunderous round of applause that seemed to go on for forever. She was giddy, doing a soft squeal once we showed our passes to the guard.

Oh yeah, someone had a little crush. It was cute.

All of the actors were in a large room which seemed cleared out just for this purpose. There were waiters with trays of drinks and snacks as people filed into the room. Esme grabbed us some wine and made her way to a quiet corner.

"This is so exciting!" She said, looking out at the crowd. Something struck her as funny, and she began to laugh quietly.

"What?"

"When I was growing up I never thought I would be able to do something like this. I was one out of ten kids, and though my parents tried to provide culture, it's not exactly the easiest thing to do in rural America. But here I am now. I've seen more of the world than I ever thought I would. I thought I would always be stuck in Texas, even when I was really young. Don't get me wrong, I love Texas. But the world has so much to offer."

"That it does," I agreed. "I didn't think I'd be doing something like this either. This is great. Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of this."

"Carlisle wouldn't go with me again." She smirked and shrugged. "Okay. Yes. I have a crush. Sue me. We all have celebrity crushes now and again."

I laughed, shaking my head at her silly expression. "Well, speaking of which..." I said, pointing at a crowd of people. One of which was the lead actor in the play. Esme gave a funny all over shiver before mumbling 'the things I could do to that man.' "Go talk to him. I've got my camera, and we can take pictures if he lets you."

Esme practically nervously tiptoed over to him as a couple of the people went away. She smiled at him sweetly, and of course, he smiled back. It was a good thing he said something first, or she never would have. He was polite and funny and did agree to pictures.

He took one with an arm her shoulder and then the other he kissed her firmly on the cheek. Esme blushed like a schoolgirl. Once she was done being flustered, she shoved me in his direction for a picture as well.

Thankfully, he didn't do any of that nonsense on me. He could tell I wasn't a fan like Esme was. But, it was still nice for him to humor us.

And when it was all said and done, Esme and I looked at each other, and I could tell we were thinking the same exact thing.

"Want to meet up with the boys?" I asked over the crowd. There wasn't a single person I knew there, besides Esme, and I didn't like it. And I missed Edward.

"God! Yes! I know where they are. Let's go surprise them," she said, grabbing my hand.

The moment we walked into the dark sports pub, Edward's eyes landed on me, like he knew I was coming. A brilliant smile spread across his face, and I instantly returned it. Carlisle slowly turned to see what Edward was looking at and began to smile as well. He held his arms out to his wife, and she instantly rushed into them, kissing him firmly on the mouth.

Edward held out his hand, and I took it slowly, smiling at him almost shyly. He pulled me in close, kissing the top of my head sweetly. "Did you have a good time?" He whispered in my ear.

"Mm," I muttered, snuggling my face into his chest. "Yes, but I missed you. Are you having a good time?"

"It's better now that you're here."

I smiled, running my fingers over his chin before clearing my throat. I had to remember that we were, in fact, in public. "So, what sport are you watching exactly?" I asked.

He laughed, blushing slightly. I was confused until he answered, "would you think me less of a man if I didn't know?"

"Not at all," I snickered.

"Good. Because I have no fucking clue," he laughed. "But it was nice being around Dad. Mom seems on cloud nine right now."

"Yeah, she got a kiss from her crush," I informed him of our evening. He laughed again, and I turned to see Carlisle rolling his eyes.

"Will you get over it now?" He asked his wife.

She smiled innocently, batting her thick red eyelashes at him. "I promise nothing."

"That's what I thought," he sighed. "Anyway! I'm a bit hungry. Why don't we go tuck in somewhere? Dinner was hours ago."

Somehow we spent the rest of the evening in a twenty-four-hour dinner talking about pretty much everything and nothing at all, but the chatter between us never stopped. They talked about memories and friends. Christmases before and of the future. We talked about the trip and the things we would remember most. And we talked about how lucky we were to be in this time, at this place, with such lovely people.

We didn't arrive back to the house until the sun was coming up, not that anyone cared. We would be leaving later, and we would be sleeping on the plane anyway. Everyone wanted to get every little last drop of enjoyment out of the visit, and not just Edward and myself either.

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	32. Chapter 32

**She said Yes**

"I've got a few tablets in here," Carlisle said as he handed me a little peppermint tin. "A couple are cut in half. I want you to start out only taking half and if you need more take the other half. I saw what happened to you last time."

I laughed at his concerned expression as we stood in the middle of the airport. He was just like any other normal father or doctor. "Yes, sir. I got it. A half first."

"Take it right after the plane takes off and you should be good," he reminded me before giving me a tight hug. "Take care of yourself, Bella. And take care of my son."

"I will, with great pleasure," I said, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. He blushed slightly, reminding me of his son so much.

When I looked over, Esme had her poor son in a choke hold. "Mum," he rasped in her tight grip. "Mum, I'll miss you, too. Don't cry," Edward whined in a very twelve-year-old fashion. "It'll be time to visit again before you know it."

"It's going to be too long!" She sniffled, kissing his forehead. What was left was a bright red lipstick mark. "Oh, my baby! I'm going to miss you."

"Mum, _please_..." he gasped when she finally squeezed too hard. He gently pushed her back and brought his hands up to her face. "I will miss you too. You go have fun hopping around Europe." He very slowly leaned over and kissed her forehead lovingly. "Take lots of pictures, and I promise to email you almost every day. I love you."

Esme burst out into fresh tears, squeezing him again. He laughed, and I could tell it was to keep from crying. "I love you too, my beautiful baby boy. Do you remember when you were little, and you used to sleep in my bed when your daddy had to work nights?"

"Of course," he chuckled. "But Mum, I've grown up. I love you, and I promise I'll see you soon."

She burst into even heavier tears when he let her go and went over to hug his dad. I went to Esme, and she clutched onto me tightly. "Take good care of him, and if he doesn't treat you right, you tell me. I'll keep that boy in line."

"He's not a boy," I laughed. "He's a wonderful man, and I don't think your offer will be necessary."

"You will not be a stranger," she commanded me. "You have our email addresses too. I expect emails for you. You're one of mine now."

"Of course," I said, hugging her again before they called our flight. "See you again soon."

Edward almost melted into the seat once we got inside, his hands over his face. "I wish she didn't do that," he muttered quickly.

"It's because she loves you."

"I know... It's not that I'm embarrassed. It makes it harder to leave. I hate seeing her tears," he mumbled before looking over at me. His eyes were red-rimmed and slightly moist. Without a word, I leaned over and kissed him. "I'm glad you're here with me. I'm glad you came. Thank you."

"My pleasure," I said before kissing the top of his head. I took out the little peppermint tin and showed it to him. "Come on, let's take our medicine and relax. We'll be home soon enough."

He groaned, leaning his head against my shoulder. "I don't want to go back to reality."

"Neither do I," I informed him, "but time marches on."

"Time sucks."

"I couldn't agree more."

I actually woke up before the plane landed. Edward was reading a book, his hand stroking my forearm absently. Sleepily, I leaned up and kissed his jaw softly. He smiled slightly, snuggling into my cheek. "How are you?" He asked.

"Sticky, slightly sweaty, tired, achy, and ready for a shower. Oh, and I'm hungry. You?"

"Same," he agreed with a sigh, putting away his book. "We'll be landing in about ten minutes."

"What time is it here?" I asked, frowning slightly.

"Just after one in the morning. I wanted to ask before I assumed, would you like to go to your place or mine?"

"I don't care, as long as there is a comfortable bed to lay in and a shower."

"Yours then," he said, stroking my cheek. "Do you have to do anything tomorrow?"

I shook my head. "I have my away messages until the day after. I figured I would be wiped out after the flight. What about you?"

"Grocery shopping." He shrugged, and I smiled at him, trying to hide my giggle. Apparently, my face split open in a grin. "You know, you may be able to survive on takeout, but I do actually like to cook. I'm sure you need a few things too."

"I know," I snickered. "It's just funny. I know I'll be enjoying most of the groceries. Do you mind if I go with you?"

"Of course," he said, tugging on my hair gently. "You're always welcome to come with me wherever I go."

Just then a voice came over the intercom telling us that we were about to land.

We got to the apartment about two hours later, feeling utterly wiped out. We stripped out of our clothing and promised to shower in the morning. Edward wrapped me up in his strong arms and kissed my forehead lightly before I once again drifted off to sleep.

I woke up to two phones buzzing with text messages.

_"Welcome back. Dinner tonight?_" They both read, both from Alice. I looked over at Edward, and he shrugged. So I decided to text her both our answer.

"_Sure."_

"_Great! I'll call you later for details!"_

I set the phone down and looked at the clock. It was eight in the morning. I groaned loudly, rubbing my forehead before I looked over at Edward. He was wide awake, looking at me curiously.

"What?"

"You're a beautiful mess," he smiled. I smacked his stomach hard, and he groaned as he continued to laugh. "You're cranky when you have jet lag."

"I just don't want this to end. It feels like a dream," I told him honestly. He let out a heavy sigh before giving me a small smile.

"We still have one more day before we have to return to reality. Let's make the best of it," he said, stroking my cheek. "I'm working a lot the next month or so," he admitted. I just nodded, frowning to myself. "Why don't we go ahead and take a shower? I don't think I'll be able to go back to sleep."

After breakfast and a shower, we went to Edward's place to drop off his things. Then he proceeded to make a massive list of all the stuff he was going to buy at the store. I just rolled my eyes. I insisted on paying part of it, but he refused. When I saw his expression, I didn't push it. But I did let him know that if it was ever too much, to let me know. That I would be more than willing to pay my share since he was doing all the work.

His eyes softened then before kissing my forehead, muttering thanks.

It was amazing how he was a pro at shopping. Hell, he even had coupons. It was astounding.

"You're so doing my shopping for me from now on," I informed him on the drive back to his place. He chuckled.

"It would be my pleasure. One problem."

"What's that?"

"Who's going to cook it?" He asked with a cocky smile. I flipped him off, and he began to laugh in earnest. "You know, I could cook large batches and freeze some for you."

"Ugh, that sounds even more pathetic," I complained. "I can make a few things."

"How about lobster bisque? Or maybe apple glazed pork chops with-" I cut him off, lifting up my hand.

"I get it. I get it," I frowned. "I can't cook. At least I'm good in bed," I teased him.

"Ah yes. That does make up for most faults," he answered as he pulled into a parking space. I opened my mouth in shock while his was in a wicked grin. He was out of the car before I could say anything.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, stomping out of the car. He was red and snickering, grabbing up bags.

"It means a woman like you who is so fucking hot in bed doesn't have to cook. It means," he leaned down and ran a slow tongue over my ear lobe, "that the man who is lucky enough to sleep with you should hop into the kitchen to cook for you whenever you want."

"Lucky... man..." I stuttered stupidly in the middle of the parking lot, leaning my head to the side.

"Very lucky man. The luckiest, really."

And then he was walking towards his stairs. I pouted stupidly, mad that he stopped. I was never going to get tired of him. He was always going to get to me. Edward did things that normal men shouldn't have been able to do, and he knew it.

He wasn't the only lucky one.

So, for dinner that night Alice announced that she would be taking us to a wine bar called Dali in the Arts district and that the whole thing would be on her, so we were to go wild. She seemed so excited, even more so than usual. That was saying something.

Edward looked amazingly sexy in his gray slacks and button-down with a sweater over it. It was a little strange being back in Dallas and not needing the warmer jackets. I dressed in a pair of tight black trousers with a button down blouse and a pair of pearls. To go with it, I put on my red high heels.

It was just to tease Edward, and it totally worked. He kept looking down at my feet before slowly dragging them up my body. And then he would shake his head like he had to dislodge a dirty idea.

I loved it. Payback was fun.

Alice squealed loudly when she met us in front of the restaurant. She threw her arms around my neck, kicking her feet up. "I've missed you guys so much!"

"Missed you too, Al," I moaned from the pain in my shoulders. She was heavier than she looked.

"Oh, gosh! You two look so refreshed and relaxed," she sighed, putting her hand over her heart as she examined us both. I was just glad she had her feet back on the ground.

"It was a fun trip." Edward smiled ruefully, taking my hand. "Not too stressful," he said, though it sounded more like a question. I wasn't going to deny him an answer.

"Not at all," I assured him before smiling over at Alice. "How was your New Years?"

"Awesome! But, I'll tell you about it later. Jasper's at the table waiting for us. We went ahead and ordered a bottle of Merlot but if you want something different we can order something else," she said, practically bouncing. "Sky is the limit tonight."

"Someone's had coffee," he muttered.

"Too much," I whispered back. He almost cracked a grin but kept it to himself.

"Hey, man," Jasper said, bumping fists with Edward when we came to the table. Of course, he came over to me and gave me a great big hug. "Hey, girl! How was England?"

"Amazing," I sighed, looking over at Edward with a small sense of longing. I turned back in time just to see Jasper roll his eyes and smile slightly. "What?"

"Nothing. It's cute. Alice, do you think we looked like that?" He asked Alice.

"I hope we still look like that!" She snickered, causing Jasper to roll his eyes at her.

"Oh, come on, man. You are this woman's slave. Don't even deny it. You love every bloody second of it, just like I do," Edward said with laughter lighting up his face. "You never would have gotten into baking if it wasn't for wanting to please her so much."

"That is true," he said, taking her right hand into his and kissing it lightly. "You just shouldn't be so open with your whipped-ness."

"Whipped-ness?" I snickered. "I didn't know there was such a word."

The banter went back and forth until we ordered our food. Jasper got a pork porterhouse, Alice a lobster pasta, Edward got salmon, and I got the halibut. We just about covered the whole menu.

"Soooo... As much as I just love you guys, we've invited you out for more than one reason."

"Alice, how many times have I told you that I won't play any of your kinky games?" Edward said in the straightest voice possible. Her eyes got wide, and a wild flush covered her cheeks before she threw a piece of cheese at him from the appetizer platter that we got.

"Priceless," Jasper muttered as he tried to hold in his laughter. Alice turned to him angrily, and he tried to hold it in, he really did, but he practically burst into hysterics. She must have done something underneath the table that I couldn't see because his eyes went wide and he instantly went silent.

"Anyway," she said, saying each syllable just so. "As I was saying before I was so crudely interrupted," Alice began, glaring at Edward. She was practically challenging him. It was hilarious. She cleared her throat delicately before she began again. "We have something we want to tell you about."

"Go for it," I said, almost afraid of what she had to say.

"Well, on New year's Jasper and I went out of town for a couple of days. It was so romantic. And on New Year's Eve, Jasper proposed. So, I said yes!" She said, flashing a big diamond ring in my face.

It was huge and just a little bit gaudy. It was PERFECT for Alice. Jasper did a great job. There was just one problem with the whole thing, and I wasn't the only one that caught on it.

"So, did that quickie wedding in Vegas not stick?" Edward asked, smirking slightly.

"No! It's not that," Jasper snorted. "No. It's our tenth wedding anniversary this year, and I know Alice wanted to do something bigger. I'm just giving it to her. The timing is perfect. We'll renew our vows and then go on a small honeymoon."

"Not too small," Alice said with a wicked smile. "Anyway, this is where you two come in."

"Should I be worried?" I asked anyone who would answer.

_Yes_, Jasper mouthed, but then he smiled over at Alice who was shaking her head.

"Of course not, dear. We wanted to ask if you'd do us the honor of being my maid of honor and Edward, Jasper's best man."

"Sure!" I said excitedly, not having to think about it. Edward was right behind me with the agreement.

"Okay, so there is more," Jasper added in.

"So much more!" Alice said.

"We would like to have a joint bachelor/ bachelorette party in New Orleans. During Mardi Gras. The timing is great and what better way to live it up than in New Orleans at Mardi Gras? It would be us, you guys, and Emmett and Rosalie," Jasper said who then was followed by Alice.

"So, we get to party, and you get to knock a couple of things off your list!"

"A couple?" I asked in confusion. "Mardi Gras I get. By the way, you don't have to do that just to help me mark something off my list. I mean, it's really sweet and all but-"

"Girl, seriously! There is isn't a bigger party in the world! Why wouldn't we want to go to Mardi Gras? And second, formal wear!"

Alice actually pulled out the list from her purse and showed it to me. She was still carrying it around with her.

She was an awesome friend.

"Formal wear?" I said, cocking an eyebrow.

"Of course, Alice is going insane with the wedding stuff already," Jasper said. "Trust me, it'll be formal. I wouldn't be surprised if I'm forced into wearing a top hat."

Edward burst into laughter.

"Keep laughing. If he does, so do you!" Alice said, and Edward's face straightened into a smirk.

Our food came after that, and we each got a fresh glass of wine. I raised my goblet. "Congrats, you two. To be married for ten years is amazing nowadays. I know you guys will be married for another fifty. You were made for each other."

We clinked glasses. Edward cleared his throat. "Here's to Alice not spending a million on the wedding."

"Here here!" Jasper laughed. Even Alice looked a bit bashful about that.

Edward and I went back to his place that night, and I remained in my red shoes, just to tease him, as we sat on his couch. But it seemed like something was on Edward's mind.

"What is it?"

"I've never been a best man before," he said, shrugging.

"I've never been a maid of honor," I told him truthfully.

"It'll be odd to be on the other side of the wedding. I'm usually working it, not in it." He smiled at him. "I don't know exactly what to do."

"Well, we'll set up New Orleans, and then we get drunk with them. And then we'll help them get ready. Stand beside them during the wedding and then get drunk with them again," I laughed. I brought my feet up to his lap, and he gave a soft little sigh as he traced one of them with his finger. "I think that's about it."

"Hm," he muttered unresponsively.

"What else is bothering you?"

"I'm a little jealous," he said, rubbing my ankle. "I wanted to be married by the time I was this age, and I'll be in twenty-six in a few months. I know it makes me sound like a woman, but he's getting to get married twice. I'd be happy with just once."

"It doesn't make you sound like a woman," I said as I moved closer to him. I lightly traced my fingers over his cheeks. "Edward, it makes you a romantic. Trust me, that's so much better. These things can't be rushed. Don't worry," I said as I touched his nose. "One day."

"One day," he breathed in reply before leaning in to kiss me on the mouth. His lips were firm and hovered there for a long moment before bringing me in for another kiss. Gentle hands went to the back of my neck as he deepened it. When he pulled away, he rested his forehead against mine. "One day."

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	33. Chapter 33

**A Girl's Day**

Two weeks passed. Two hectic, long, horribly lonely week. Edward actually worked nine days straight without a break. He worked tons of parties, weddings and things like that. During those fourteen days, we slept in the same bed only three times.

I hated it.

I missed him.

But, I did get a lot of work done. I would admit that. I worked out at the gym, a lot, just to let the frustration out.

I also started helping Alice with her wedding planning. I was just her tiebreaker when she couldn't decide between one thing or another, but it still worked. I was more like the devil's advocate. We would go back and forth with what would be good or bad about each thing until she would finally decide.

I never knew a person could get in an argument about the use of colors at a wedding. Honestly, I wasn't going to go that insane for my own.

The time Edward and I spent together had been used mostly for three things. Eating, sex, and planning for the Mardi Gras Party.

Mardi Gras that year was in Mid-March, which was great since Alice and Jasper were renewing their vows on April first.

Only Alice would get married on April's fools day. It was kind of cute.

We had already arranged for three hotel rooms right off of St. Charles, which was in the French Quarter but not in the center of the action. That way we would be able to sleep at some point. If we slept at all.

We had also arranged for a flight for the six of us. We decided it was silly to rent a car. They had trolleys, taxis, and buses that could take you anywhere in New Orleans. Hell, we could even walk from our hotel to where the parades were being held.

It was sure to be a great time.

It was Saturday morning, and Edward and I were getting ready to go out. Edward literally had to work all day. I, on the other hand, was having a girl's day with Alice, Rose, Bridget, and Tanya. We decided that it would be fun to take the younger ones out, especially since Tanya was still getting adjusting to Texas. We hadn't decided where we were going or what we were doing yet. We were just going to wing it.

"So, I was wondering something..." Edward said as he struggled to put his socks on. He was bending over and trying to balance on one foot. He wasn't having much luck.

"Wondering if it would be wiser to sit down when you did that, so you don't ram your head into the dresser?" I asked with a smirk as I watched him from the mirror I was looking into. I was trying to pull my hair into a bun, and it was not working. I frowned and took it down, shaking my hair loose.

"No," he laughed, "but that's probably a good idea. No, I was wondering if you'd be able to take a couple of days off the weekend after Valentine's day."

"Hm?"

"Well, this will be our first Valentine's together. I booked that weekend a month or so before I even met you. Otherwise, I would have left it free. But, I don't have anything the Monday and Tuesday after. I was wondering if we could do something."

"Like what?" I asked, going to sit on the bed to put on my shoes. He sat beside me, socks in his hands.

"It would be a surprise." He smiled at me ruefully. "I already know what I want to do, but I want it to be a surprise. All you have to do is take the days off. Can you do that? I mean, if not, we could do it another day but-"

I leaned over and kissed his lips lightly to shut him up. "I can do that. What days are those? Sixteenth and Seventeenth?"

"Yeah," he said, looking at me thoughtfully. I wondered what he was thinking about and I would have asked him if we weren't both in a hurry. We both had to be out of the house in under twenty minutes. "So, yes?"

"Yes." I leaned over and kissed him again. "That would be great. So, can I have a hint?"

"Nope," he said, working on his socks before slipping on his slick black shoes. "This is going to be good. I'm not going to ruin it."

"Why does that worry me?" I asked with a laugh.

He chuckled before standing up, going to get the rest of the things he needed like his wallet and keys. When he was all arranged, he came over to where I was sitting and leaned over. "The only thing you will have to worry about is relaxing. I will see you tonight?"

"My place or yours?"

"Yours," he sighed. "I'll be late."

"I don't care. I just want to see you," I told him softly. He nodded and placed his hand on my cheek. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he breathed before pressing a quick kiss on my lips then a lingering one on of my forehead.

"There you are!" Rose said as I came to sit down with them at the restaurant. It was just after noon, and I hadn't had breakfast. I was starving. I called and told them as much, so they agreed to meet me there. It was a lovely little country kitchen with comfort food. It smelt great. "I was wondering what took you so long."

"Traffic," I complained as I flopped down in my chair. Alice pushed a water my way. "You okay?" She hadn't said anything. That was odd for her. She was usually so excited.

"The wedding is stressing her out, already," Rose snickered. "The devil may be in the details, but if you nitpick at everything you're going to give yourself a heart attack."

"I know that," Alice mumbled. "Jasper and I had an argument over what we're going to serve. I'm just annoyed."

"I'm with Jasper."

"Of course you're with Jasper," Alice said to Rose. "You're his sister."

"No," she laughed, rolling her eyes. "I agree that serving Japanese Kobe beef is going overboard. I also agree that going with a buffet would be wise. There will be some kids there, and it'll be more comfortable. And that way, you don't have to worry about who will have what plate. They'll get their own," Rose continued on and on.

Bridget took no notice of it as she crawled into my lap from her spot next to her mother. "Hi, Auntie Bella."

"Hi there," I chuckled. I liked that name a lot. "How are you?"

"I'm okay. I miss Tanya. Mommy said she was coming. When is she going to be here?" She asked in a pouty voice. I gave her a tight hug after I shrugged.

"Here I am!" Tanya said quickly, looking flustered. "Sorry, I got turned around. I hope I didn't miss anything."

"Wait? How did you get here?" I asked, confused.

"I got a car!" She squealed, pulling her keys out of her pocket. Both Alice and Rose rolled their eyes. I was missing something. "Daddy bought it for me for Christmas."

"That's awesome! What kind of car is it?"

She launched into details, talking about how it was a Volvo hatchback in a pretty silver color. Rose leaned over and whispered in my ear when Tanya got distracted by Bridget, who was now sitting on her lap. "Her parents are trying to play favorites. Who's the best, you know. Her mom bought her some fancy silver jewelry, her dad bought her a flashy silver car."

"You know I know that, right?" Tanya said. Rose blushed when she realized she was caught. "You're not very subtle or quiet."

"Sorry! But, it's true!"

"I know it is," Tanya said, laughing. "They're just trying to piss each other off. They can do that all they want. It won't change the way I feel about either of them. Maybe they'll eventually figure that out."

"Hopefully AFTER one of them buys you an apartment wherever you're going to school," Alice laughed, popping a bite of cornbread in her mouth. I hadn't even realized that there was bread on the table. My stomach grumbled loudly.

I needed a menu.

I grabbed one of the paper menus while they went back and forth with their commentary. Bridget got in on it too, saying maybe they should get Tanya a pony.

It was adorable and just plain cute.

I ordered a big lunch of a ham sandwich with mac and cheese. Bridget approved of it so much that she made her mother change her order to that from her original corn dog. Tanya ordered mac and cheese as well but got a salad with it. She mumbled about wanting a sandwich the entire time. Poor thing.

"When do you get the braces off?" I asked after the waitress was gone.

"Two months. THANK GOD!" She huffed.

I laughed, patting her hand. "I will take you out for a giant steak or something myself."

"Barbecue. Lots of meat," she said, nodding her head in her own little fantasy world. "Ribs, brisket, sausage, ham, turkey-"

"You're going to make yourself sick," Rose laughed, shaking her head.

"Don't care. Totally worth it."

"Auntie Alice, when are you going to teach Bella and me to knit?" Bridget asked out of nowhere, obviously tired of our somewhat adult conversation.

"I didn't know you knit," Tanya said to Alice.

"I don't. I crochet, a little." Alice shrugged. "I told her that I would teach them both. I just haven't gotten around to it."

"Isn't knitting on your list?" Rosalie asked thoughtfully, taking a bite of biscuit.

"List?" Tanya asked in confusion. "Huh?"

Alice and Rose looked at me at the same time. I just shrugged and waved my hand in front of me for them to continue. Alice decided to take the lead since she seemed to be the head of Bella's List club. Maybe even the president.

"Well, Bella has a list of all the things she wants to do before she turns thirty-one that she wrote on her thirtieth birthday this year-" She began, but Tanya cut her off.

"Thirty? Dude! I thought you were totally like twenty-four or twenty-five."

"God bless you," I said, leaning over and hugging her. She laughed, hugging me back.

"Anyway!" Alice said, scoffing at my silliness. "We've all been helping her in our own little ways. Even Edward. One of the things on her list is knitting. There are fifty-one things in all."

"Oh! I want to see the list!" Tanya said. Both Alice and I looked at each other and she shook her head. "What? Why not?"

"Because you shouldn't do some of those things on the list," I said with a raised eyebrow, showing that I wasn't going to explain in front of a small child. "I've got almost everything scratched out."

"But, not knitting?"

"No, not knitting," I told her with a small sigh. "Crocheting is close enough though if we ever get to it."

Tanya shrugged her tiny bony shoulders, her pinkish blond hair bouncing slightly. "I know how to knit. My grandma taught me. I've knitted a ton of stuff, but I had to leave all of that in Alaska when I moved. I'd love to do it again. I could teach you."

"And me?" Bridget asked, looking up from her picked apart bread. I don't actually think she was eating it, just pulling it into tiny bits.

"And you," Tanya said, ruffling Bridget's wild blond curls.

"When?" The tiny child asked impatiently.

"What were our plans today?" She asked curiously.

"We hadn't decided," Rose answered.

"Today then. We can go to a craft store and get all the things we need. I can teach you all to knit. Maybe we can even rent a movie to watch while we're doing it. Go over to Rose's place and-"

"Alice's or Bella's," Rosalie shook her head at Tanya's words. "I promised to get Bridge out of Emmett's hair for the afternoon."

"Well, anywhere would work," Tanya shrugged. "What do you think?"

All of us looked at each before shrugging our shoulders almost in unison. "Sounds good to me," I said, smiling as Bridget clapped her hands excitedly.

I never knew that there were that many different kinds of yarn. It was amazing. We were in the middle of a craft store with three confused adults, a happy three-year-old, and a peppy teenager leading the way.

It was like some sort of comedy routine. A bad one at that.

"Okay. It's furry. Why the hell is it furry?" Rosalie asked in confusion. Alice poked her shoulder and pointed down at Bridget who was making a rainbow of string in our cart. Rose rolled her eyes and smirked slightly. "She's not listening to us. She's just like her father. She's in her OWN universe."

"Okay, so we'll each need a set of needles. I got a good size," Tanya said, coming back with a range of knitting needs in a wide variety of colors. "I got some smaller ones for Bridget."

"I call dibs on the shiny pink ones!" Alice said excitedly. We all ignored her.

"Why are these furry?" Rose said, picking up a ball of oddly purple yarn fuzz.

"They're good for scarfs and stuffed animals," Tanya said, taking the string from the blond's hands. "That's a bit advanced for you. The yarn you'll need is on the next aisle."

"Why do I feel the urge to say the words _'oh, burn'_?" I asked Alice as I trailed behind Tanya. Rose flicked me on my shoulder, making me giggle.

"I think I understand how my home economics teacher feels now," Tanya said, shaking her head at our childish antics. Alice actually giggled and snorted, making me laugh as well. "Anyway, so like this yarn is fairly middle of the road. It's soft but still fairly strong. It's also cheap, so it's good for beginner's who will mess up with a lot."

"I think she's saying we're going to be bad at this," I frowned playfully, making Alice smirk and Rose laugh.

"No, I know you're going to suck at it," Tanya says, tossing a few colors into the cart. "I just want to keep this experiment in disaster from costing you too much."

"Oh, burn," I said with as straight of a face as possible. Tanya cracked, laughing loudly and shaking her head. After that point, Bridget came bounding up to us and excitedly told us that there was yarn just for kids and that she wanted every single color. In an effort to put back the entire armful she had, Alice and Rose went with her. That left Tanya and me alone. "Seriously, how do you know all this? It's kind of awesome actually."

She shrugged her shoulders almost thoughtfully, giving a soft and nearly wistful smile. "My grandma taught me when I was ten, right before my mom and dad split up. Right before I stayed with Alice and Jasper. When I had to move up to Alaska with my mom, I realized that there was nothing to do. So, I knitted."

"You knit often?"

"I did before I came back to Texas. Before the summer I worked so much I used to be constantly knitting. I'd start making all my Christmas presents for my friends and family in like January," she laughed. "Then anything extra I made I donated to this mission to help kids get warm winter clothes. Scarves and hats and stuff. One year I donated like twenty-five things. It was so happy."

"You're a pretty awesome girl," I said, putting an arm around her shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Thanks for agreeing to teach me."

"Don't thank me yet," she laughed again. "I still have to teach you. It's easier said than done."

And boy, she wasn't kidding.

"I swear to God, she's speaking a different damn language," Rose complained loudly as we sat around Alice's house, all trying to knit.

Bridget gave up first, of course. She ended up tying her legs together, saying that she was a prisoner. Somewhere along the way she got distracted by the movie on the TV, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and fell asleep. With her feet still tied together.

Alice was doing the best. She was halfway to a bright pink scarf which she claimed to be for Jasper. There were a lot of problems with that. First off, it was Texas and no one ever really needed a scarf. The second problem was that it was neon pink. Jasper was whipped, but not that bad.

Rosalie was doing the worst. The most she had going for her was a ball of knotted string. I'm not sure how she accomplished that, but she did. And she was getting very annoyed about it.

"It's really easy," Tanya tried to explain for what was the third time. "Look, this is how you do a purl stitch."

"Speak English," Rosalie mumbled.

"P- U- R- L. Purl. It is English," Tanya replied back saucily. I snorted, not taking my eyes off of the navy blue scarf I was working on. I could send it to Phil for when he traveled. He went to cold places sometimes.

"I give up. I need a martini," Rose said, chucking her yarn to the side. Alice giggled, nodding her head towards the small bar that sat to one side of her living room. "Bella. Care to partake?"

"No, thanks," I smiled. "I'm barely able to keep from stabbing myself with these things when I'm sober."

"Never drink and knit," Tanya quipped. She giggled at her own joke, her cheeks turning red. She was adorable, and I could imagine a teenager of my own being that way. Or at least, I hoped she would be like that.

Rosalie and Bridget left first because Emmett started sending her texts that he was in the mood to set something on fire. At first, I was a tad worry, but when Rose explained that he wanted to barbecue, I was slightly less so. Only slightly.

Tanya left next. It was getting close to eight o'clock, and she needed to get home. She apparently had church the next morning. I hadn't realized that she was religious, but it did fit her personality. I gave her a big hug and whispered my thanks before she left.

"I had a great time. I've been kind of homesick in a twisted sort of way," she admitted. "This helped. I like Texas better. It's just that I miss a few things."

"I know," I smiled. "Maybe we can practice this together. I'll make all of my own Christmas presents. It sounds cheaper."

I left soon after when Jasper arrived home. He smelt of cookies. It was lovely. Alice had finished with her scarf and wrapped it around his neck. He thanked her with a big kiss, and I could tell it was time for me to leave. Two certain someones wanted a private moment. And for the first time in a long time, I felt like a third wheel. It made me miss Edward even more.

I tried to stay up for him. I really did. One minute I was reading and the next I felt two smooth hands trail over my stomach lightly. A moment later I felt his warm body and his soft lips against my back.

"Hey baby," I mumbled softly.

"Hey, sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. Go back to sleep," he said, stroking my arm. "I was later than I meant to be."

"It's okay," I stuttered through sleep. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," Edward whispered quietly, kissing my neck. "Did you have a fun Saturday?"

"Mmhmm. Tanya taught us how to knit. Bridget tied herself up, and I made you a placemat. I was going to make a scarf for Phil, but I got lazy and stopped."

"Okay," Edward laughed at the nonsense I was most likely saying. I was too tired to actually care if I made sense or not. "Thank you, I think."

"Mm," I said, turning in his arms and rested my head on his chest. "I want kids like Bridget and Tanya."

"Me too," he admitted. His voice was so distant that it was almost dream-like. Maybe I was drifting off at that point, but I wasn't sure.

"You're going to be such a good daddy," I told him truthfully. "You're going to be the dad where the kid's friends all have crushes on you. They'll come over just to spy on you. You're so hot."

I felt Edward's chest rumble with laughter. "Bella, I love you dearly, but it's time for you to back to sleep. We'll talk in the morning, I promise."

"Mkay," I mumbled, pressing my nose against his chest and breathing in deeply. It was like... _home_. I was so secure in his arms. He was my soft place to lay my head, and I loved it. I wouldn't have it any other way.

**Thanks for reading!**


	34. Chapter 34

**Valentine's day**

"This sucks," Alice complained loudly over the phone in the morning.

It was the morning of Valentine's day. Edward had already left, early, _early_ in the morning. In fact, it was before dawn. Someone was having a sunrise wedding.

I would have rather had a midnight wedding myself, but that was just me. He then had another wedding at ten, one at two in the afternoon, another at five, and then to top it all off, he was working at a restaurant starting from seven until ten. He had a full day.

And so did Jasper.

Of course, a baker was going to be busy on Valentine's day. Between guys trying to pick up chocolate for their women and kid's Valentine's party, he had his hands full. Alice knew this. She even understood it.

Didn't mean she had to like it. At all.

"I know, sweetie. It does suck," I sighed, looking at something on my computer. "But what can we do about it?"

"Bitch. Moan. Complain. Get drunk," she started listing off things, and I rolled my eyes before scoffing. "What? Do you have a better idea?"

"I was going to go to the gym."

"How boring."

"Boring? Probably. Practical? Yes. A good way to blow off some steam? For sure." I smiled slightly. Lord knows I needed to blow off some steam just thinking about the fun surprise Edward had in store. It made me tingle all over.

"Maybe you have a point," Alice agreed. "What else did you have planned?"

"Not a clue. I'm open to suggestions."

"Gym. Shower. Lunch? Maybe we could go check up on Jasper after. I know you haven't seen the bakery yet."

"Yeah, I haven't," I sighed. Everyone was so busy with so many things.

"What do you think?"

"I don't think that's going to fill up a whole day though," I told her truthfully. "How about a movie sometime in there? What time does Jasper close up shop?"

"Today? Eight. I guess that would work. Two-hour workout. Late leisurely lunch. Movie. And then we could go bug Jasper."

"Sounds good to me. Meet you at the gym in thirty?"

"Yup. You're a lifesaver."

"An orange one," I smiled, using her own joke. "I think I'm tangy."

"No. You're cherry," Alice giggled. "Alright. I'll see you then."

I ran beside Alice on the treadmill, keeping a leisurely pace as we talked. Of course, we were talking about her wedding. It was all we were talking about.

"So, I've got the dress down to three options. I'm going to need your opinion."

"Didn't your mom go with you last time you went looking?" I asked.

"Yes. And she has horrible tastes. You do not. So, I have another fitting next Thursday. By the way, I have five possible dresses for you. I want to see them on you and figure out which one I like best."

"They aren't horrible, are they?" I cringed slightly.

"No," Alice snorted delicately. "No one is going to look ugly at my wedding. I'm going to make sure of it. I just have to figure out the style really. I've figured out the color."

She finally decided on a deep emerald green and a royal purple as her wedding colors. I was so grateful. At least it wasn't pink, coral, or an ugly orange of some kind.

"Oh? What about shoes?" I asked, trying to be interested in the subject. But honestly, my mind was on my boyfriend who should have been with me but was instead entertaining other people on their romantic days. I was more than a little jealous of them.

"I've got it down to five as well. It depends on the dress. You'll see. It'll be great."

I just nodded my head, my eyes and mind somewhere in space.

"You know, it sucks for me too. At least Edward will be able to get away with not working next year," Alice said, interrupting my thoughts. I frowned and nodded.

"Today is a major money maker for him. I wouldn't take that away from him."

"He'd give it up for you," she told me.

"I know," I smiled. "It's just our first one and-"

"It's the first of many."

"I certainly hope so."

"Girl, I'm psychic. I've known since the very beginning that you two were perfect for each other. I wouldn't have shoved you into him if he hadn't been," Alice said, rolling her eyes at me playfully as she gave me an evil smirk.

"The only reason you pushed me to Edward was that you were high."

"Yes, high. As in on a higher plane of awesomeness. I knew," she replied, tapping her forehead. It was my turn to roll my eyes, and she burst into laughter, actually having to stop her machine. "Hey, you two are perfect together. I didn't get that part wrong," she said after she finished her laughing fit.

I laughed as well, nodding my head. "Yeah, okay. We may be, but you so don't get the credit for it."

She stuck her tongue out at me and hopped back onto her machine gracefully.

We went from exercising to burgers. I wasn't sure how it happened, but all I knew was that it was a great idea.

Alice and I ordered a basket of onion rings and French fries to share, along with our burgers and milkshakes.

I had been maintaining my weight mostly, maybe losing a pound here or there, but I had a feeling it wasn't going to happen this week. Actually, I was sure of it.

I didn't care one bit.

"Oh, my god. These should be illegal," I moaned through a bite of an onion ring. They were probably the best I had ever had. I was going to end up eating the entire basket by myself if Alice wasn't careful.

"Mmmm," Alice agreed as she sipped her milkshake. "Why do I have a feeling we are substituting food for love?"

"Why do I feel like that's okay?" I snickered.

Just then my phone buzzed in my pocket. It was a message from my mother.

_"I hope you and Edward have a lovely Valentine's day. Currently looking at the Eiffel tower with Phil. Marked another thing off my list! Love you!" _

I typed back quickly._"Currently eating the most fantastic onion rings with my best friend. Hope you're having a great time in Paris. Love you too. We'll talk again soon." _

_"Everything okay with Edward?" _

I rolled my eyes, and Alice leaned over to see what I was doing. "What are you doing?"

"Texting with my mother. She's being nosy now," I said with a sigh.

_"We're great,_" I typed. _"He's just working. We have plans for tonight. Talk to you later." _

I placed my phone down and took a long pull from my milkshake. It was a delicious black and white with whipped cream on the very top. I had just popped the cherry into my mouth when my phone buzzed yet again. I huffed loudly in annoyance, the stem hanging out of my mouth. Alice giggled at the sight, putting a fry into her mouth to hide her smile.

But this message wasn't from my mother. It was from Edward.

_"When you came, you were like red wine and honey, and the taste of you burnt my mouth with its sweetness." _

_"That's beautiful_," I typed back with a small smile and a soft sigh.

"Not your mother, I take it?" Alice asked ruefully. I just shook my head, my smile growing wider.

_"The couple that just got married had it in their vows. I instantly thought of you. It seemed to be fitting." _

_"It is. Very much so." _

I should have felt bad for ignoring Alice, but I didn't. She would have done the same thing if she could have.

_"Mm, here's another one I quite liked...The hours I spend with you I look upon as sort of a perfumed garden, a dim twilight, and a fountain signing to it...you and you alone make me feel that I am alive...Other men, it is said, have seen angels, but I have seen thee and thou art enough."_

_"Was that said at the wedding too?_" I asked with a grin. "_It's a lot to remember." _

_"No,"_ he answered back quickly. _"This was something I remembered the very first night we spent __**really**_ _together from my readings from school." _

I instantly flushed. _"I love you_," I typed back lamely. I didn't know what else to say besides that, and _"I miss you." _

_"I love you too, my darling. I just wanted to let you know I was thinking about you. I'll see you tonight." _

_"Tonight cannot come soon enough," _I told him truthfully.

I let out a heavy sigh as I put my phone back in my pocket. I was feeling more lonely than ever at the moment, despite being with my best friend.

"Rough?" She asked.

"Very."

"Let's go watch an action movie with lots of hot guys in it. Maybe that'll make things easier," she teased.

"Sounds great to me."

Thankfully at that moment our burgers arrived, and we continued to substitute love with food. It seemed to be working pretty well for us.

"That was, by far, the lamest movie I have ever seen!" I complained, nibbling on my popcorn as we stomped back to my car. I was driving, surprisingly. It was rather unusual.

"That one guy, um whatever his name was, you know the hot tanned one with the black hair? Yeah, I'd have sex with him," Alice said thoughtfully. "The best thing about that movie was that he kept losing his shirt."

"Agreed," I laughed. "I can't believe they paid him like five million dollars to be in that awful movie. At least he gets paid well."

"Hell, I'll take off my shirt and act poorly for five million," Alice added in, making me snort.

"I think Jasper might mind you doing that," I said. I instantly regretted it when she frowned deeply, her eyes going sad. "You miss him, don't you?"

"I know it's silly. I really do. We spend a lot of time together. But-"

"But it doesn't matter the amount of time you spend with a person. When you're in love, you can't get enough of them," I answered for her. "I know, girl. I do. How about this," I said, looking down at my watch. "It's seven. Why don't we head over to the bakery now and I'll pick up a cake, and you'll get to see your man."

"Sounds wonderful to me," she sighed, almost in relief.

As soon as Jasper saw us walking through the door, his bright blue eyes grew wide with happiness. He was dirty, covered in frosting and flour, but that didn't seem to stop Alice from throwing herself into his arms.

"Oh, baby. I have missed you all day," he muttered into her spiky black hair. "What do I owe this honor?"

"I want some snackage and Alice missed you," I smiled. He chuckled and opened up one of his arms up to me. I came to him, returning the one-sided hug he was giving. "God, you smell like donuts. How do you take it?" I asked Alice.

Alice shoved her face in his chest. "Isn't it awesome? I love it," she muttered.

I shoved my face on the other side and took in a big whiff. Jasper literally giggled, like a schoolgirl, and his arms tightened around us. "What the hell are you two doing?"

"Smelling you."

"Jasper, damn, Dude, seriously. You've got to be the luckiest man on the face of this planet!" Someone called from behind us. I blushed and pulled away, but Alice held onto her husband more tightly. "Why hello there," a short dark skin man said. Man, well not really. Closer to a boy. But he was adorable. "Who are you?"

"Oh, this is my friend, Bella! Remember, I was telling you about her," Jasper said from Alice's tight grasp.

"Oh! Right, right. Edward's girlfriend. Hello there," the boy said, coming around the counter while wiping his hands off on his apron. "I'm Seth. Nice to meet you."

"Seth is my manager. He came with me all the way from Cali," Jasper explained. "He's the best in the business."

"Shut up," Seth said bashfully. "So, can I help you guys with anything?"

"Um, Alice, I was actually wondering if you could come to look at something in the office with me," Jasper said quietly."It'll just take a minute." They left us without another word.

"They're totally going to have a quickie," I muttered to myself. Seth laughed out loud.

"Wouldn't be the first. Probably won't be the last."

"Ever walk in on them?" I asked with a smirk.

"A number of times," he laughed again. "But I was younger then and didn't knock. I've learned from my mistakes."

"I walked in on them a few times in high school," I shook my head then laughed. "Well, can't blame them for having a good time."

"Yes, I can," he snorted. "They're having a good time while I have to work. Speaking of which, can I help you with something?"

"Um, yeah. I need something for Edward and me to have tonight. Something sweet."

"Well, I just made these tarts," he said, pulling something out with bright red glossy filling topped with whipped cream. "It's got a red fruit filling... cherries, strawberries, and raspberries. A little sweet, a little tangy. Goes good with champagne."

"Sold," I said, beginning to take my wallet out of my purse. Seth waved me off.

"You're a friend of Jasper's. He'd have my ass if I charged you. Enjoy."

"Are you sure?" I asked. Just then Jasper popped his head out. He cleared his throat, smiling shyly.

"Girl, get whatever you want. Your money's no good here. Um, I've got Alice if you want to head out. We're about to close the doors anyway... So yeah, we'll see you later."

His head disappeared around the corner, and I heard the door shut and latch. "So, not a quickie then?" I asked Seth with a laugh. He snorted, rubbing his forehead as his dark cheeks stained with a blush.

"I guess not. I was starting to close up anyway."

"Um, well. Yeah. I should get out of your hair then," I said awkwardly. "Thanks for the tart."

"Sure thing. Enjoy. Tell Edward I said hi and it was nice to meet you, Bella," he said, shaking my hand quickly again. I smiled in return, telling him the same.

The drive home I could think of nothing but getting to be with Edward. I had missed him so much during the day. We hadn't had much time together since we got back from London and it was killing me. I really needed a few days alone with him.

One more day and I would have him all to myself... I hoped anyway.

When I got home, I put on some smooth music to listen to while I cooked a meal for Edward. I knew he wouldn't be in until late, but I didn't care. I had the time, and I was going to use it.

I decided to try to make something fancy for my new dish a week thing. It was a creamy potato soup that was supposed to only get better the longer it simmered. I followed the recipe to the letter, and it was put on the stove to wait for him.

It only took an hour.

After that, I decided to get a quick shower. I did my hair, put on some lip gloss and a comfortable blue dress. It wasn't anything fancy, but it was still cute.

When I finally couldn't primp myself anymore, I decided to light some candles and set the table. I put the tart in the middle, along with some French bread I had to eat with the soup. I had just arranged the last napkin right when Edward opened the door.

He looked so tired. And frustrated. There were dark purple circles around his eyes, and I could tell by the way he was holding his hands that they hurt. It was the first time that I had _really_ seen his work take a toll on him.

"Hey," I said quietly, walking over to him and wrapping him up in my arms. Edward sighed heavily, bringing his arms around my waist as he melted into my body. His head rested against my shoulder as he took in several deep breaths. "Are you okay?"

"It's been a long day," he said quietly, leaning in to kiss my neck. "Fuck."

"How can I make it better?" I asked into his hair.

"Can we go sit and just hold each other?"

I took his hand and led him over to the couch. I let him sit first, and I slid into his lap, my arms going around his neck again. His arms went around my waist as he once again put his head on my shoulder.

"What's happened that has you so down?"

He swallowed heavily. "Well, I'm not used to working so much in one day, for one. Then at one of the weddings, I don't even remember which anymore because they've just faded into each other, someone threw up on me. I had to go home and change. And when I got home, there was a notice on my door that they're not renewing my lease."

"Why?" I asked in shock.

"They're renovating or something. I don't know. I just know I have just a couple of months to figure out what to do about that," he said, leaning his head back against the couch. "You know what? Can we not talk about this right now? I don't want to think about it anymore."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Tell me about your day," he said as he ran his fingers down my back. They sent chills up my spine. They felt so good. And I was sure he had no idea he was doing it.

"I went to the gym. I went to eat. Went to a movie." I shrugged. "Then I dropped off Alice at the bakery. By the way, Seth says hi."

A smile moved across his lips. "Oh, you met Seth?"

"Yeah. He seems like a nice guy."

"Mm, he is. He was like seventeen when I met him. I can't believe he's married now. I can't believe he moved with Jasper out here either." Edward shook his head like he was clearing a thought from his head. He brought his fingers up to my cheek. "Is that all you did today?"

"Well, I pined away from my wonderful boyfriend," I said in a teasing voice, leaning forward to kiss his lips. He smiled against them, his fingers dancing over the back of my neck. "And I fixed him a nice hot meal."

"Oh, is that what I smell?" He said, kissing my upper lip before kissing the lower. "Smells good."

"It's a nice thick potato soup. It's done too. So, why don't you go wash up, and I'll get it ready for you?"

"You are so damn good to me," he muttered, leaning down to kiss my neck. He hummed quietly in pleasure. "So good."

I slipped off his lap with a wicked smile. "Go on and wash up."

"I'd rather do this," he answered while his eyes swept up and down my body.

"I know you would," I said, leaning down to kiss him just once. "But food first."

I poured some soup into a bowl for him and covered it with cheese and some bacon. Okay, so it wasn't exactly healthy, but it sure did look good. It was probably healthier than getting it out of the can. At least, that's what I was telling myself.

After I put the bowls on the table, I grabbed Edward some of his favorite beer from the fridge, and I poured myself a small glass of wine.

"God, this looks so good. Thank you, love," he said, coming to hug me before I sat down. We stood there for a long moment in each other's arms, just enjoying the comfort.

"You're welcome. It's the least I could do. Besides, don't thank me yet. You don't know if this is edible yet."

But, apparently, it was because he had two bowls of the stuff. After our soup, I opened a bottle of champagne and we shared a piece of tart. It was amazing.

It was just about one in the morning when we crawled into bed together with a fresh glass of champagne in our pajamas.

"One more day," Edward muttered to himself as he took a long sip of golden liquid. "So, I have to work all day tomorrow. I have to do something in the morning on Monday. Are you going to the gym that day?"

"Alice and I have plans to workout at nine until ten thirty, as usual. What time do you want to meet up? Around noon?"

"Yeah, I'll be here to pick you up," he said, nodding his head thoughtfully.

"Are you still not going to give me any hints?" I asked, running my fingers through his hair. I was hoping the liquor would loosen his lips, but I was having no such luck.

"No, ma'am," he chuckled, finishing off his champagne and setting the flute to the side. "It's a surprise."

And then he yawned, loudly. _Poor thing_. I finished off my drink and set it to the side as well before sliding into place beside him. "Tired?"

"Yes," he said quietly, his face a deep hot blazing red. "I really wanted to make love to you tonight but..."

"Edward, it's okay," I said, running my fingers over his jaw. "I just like being with you."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," I said, lightly kissing his cheek.

"I love you," he muttered quietly into my hair. Less than ten seconds later, he began to snore.

I draped an arm over his waist, resting my head on his chest. "I love you, too," I whispered, just contented to be with him.

**If you're enjoying this story still, let me know! The motivation helps so much! **

**Thanks for reading! **


	35. Chapter 35

**Enoch's Stomp**

"Girl, it is obvious that something is on your mind," Alice said as she jogged beside me on Monday morning. I was feeling antsy about something Edward talked about, or rather didn't talk about, on Valentine's day and it was bothering me.

"Edward's going to have to find a new apartment or something. They're not renewing his lease," I said with a shrug, frowning slightly.

"And?"

"And what?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"What's the problem? Move in together," she said it was like the most obvious thing in the world.

"I don't know," I said quietly.

"What's to know?" She asked. "You love him?"

"Of course."

"You miss him when he's at his place?"

"You know the answer to that already." I rolled my eyes. "Of course I do."

"He is an amazing cook, and you want to eat his food for the rest of your life, don't you?" She asked with a sassy little smirk. I didn't even have to answer that. The blush on my cheeks told her what she needed to know. "Then ask him to move in with you."

"Okay, see the problem with that is I don't want to hurt his ego. I don't think he'll feel it's even."

"What do you mean?" She asked, confused.

"Edward doesn't like to be taken care of... in that way, I think anyway. It bothers him when I bring up money. What if he feels out of place in my apartment? I don't want him to feel uncomfortable," I explained to her. It was a struggle to put what I was thinking into words.

"Buy a house."

"What?" I asked in shock.

"Buy a house together. Work out how much money the both of you want to spend, figure out the details, and put the same amount of money down on it."

"I don't know," I said, shaking my head.

"Eventually, you two are going to move in together. It's just a matter of time. This is a perfect chance to do it. When does your lease end?"

"Before June, I think," I said quietly, thinking over what she said.

"Well, that would be perfect. That's a few months to find a house. That's plenty of time. I mean, have Edward move in with you until you find a place, so neither of you will be rushed. You guys can work out all the details so that it's _even_," Alice explained in a rush. "Like, maybe you can do the rent if Edward pays the rest of the bills. Split the groceries. It could work."

"I don't know if Edward will like me bringing it up," I said softly.

"Worried he won't feel like a man?" She asked. I just nodded. "Well, if I know Edward he's already thinking about it. He's probably worried about rushing you. So, this is what you do. Bring it up and make him think the whole thing is his idea. Just lead him to the subject."

"How do I do that?" I asked with a sigh.

"You have so much to learn, young one," Alice said in her best Yoda voice. She was so cheesy sometimes. "So much. Let the master teach you the way to enlightenment."

I smirked. "Does Jasper know you are this dorky?"

"Yes, and he enjoys it. So shut up and listen," she said, smiling back wickedly. "We do not have much time, grasshopper."

I was sweaty and worn out by the time I got back to my apartment at eleven. But I didn't have any time to really worry about that. Even as I was riding up the elevator, I was working out the things I needed to get done before Edward came over.

_Shower... shave... makeup... hair... and try to figure out what the hell to wear since he hasn't given me a single damn clue. _

I unlocked my door, still deep in thought and completely distracted. But all my attention turned to the man in the middle of my room with my suitcase.

I squealed and nearly jumped out of my skin.

Of course, Edward jumped too. I put my hand on my heart to keep it from leaping out of my chest and onto my floor. "Oh my god, you scared the shite out of me woman! What was that for?!" He asked, smirking at me.

"You scared me too!" I whined. But then we both started laughing. "What are you doing here?"

"Getting your bag packed. I'm going to take this to the car. You go take a shower and get ready. Wear the clothes I have laid out for you. Take your time. We're in no rush."

He came over and kissed me on the cheek, still chuckling to himself.

"Okay," I said, leaning my head down to hide my embarrassed smile.

I loved my boyfriend. He was the best. He seemed to know exactly what to do.

I scampered off to my room, taking a quick shower. I shaved my legs and quickly did my hair. It wasn't anything special. I couldn't find my makeup, so I guess I wasn't going to put any on. That was fine with me though. Edward probably packed it.

He also laid out a pair of jeans for me along with a t-shirt and a comfortable looking blue sweater. It made me even more curious about what we were doing. The suitcase he had wasn't huge, so I knew we weren't going that far.

My curiosity was eating away at me.

"You ready, baby?" Edward said, popping his head into the bedroom as I was slipping on my shoes. He gave me a large smile, excitement playing in his eyes. "You look lovely."

"Thank you," I blushed, going over to him and hugging him tightly. "Are you going to tell me where we're going now?"

"No," he breathed before pressing a kiss to my lips. It was light, but there was a promise of something more behind it. It made my skin tingle. "You'll see soon enough."

He took my hand, leading me to the door. I grabbed my purse and my keys. "Anything I need to bring with me?"

"Just your beautiful self," he assured me. "Everything else is ready. I thought we could stop for a quick lunch on the way out of town."

"Out of town, huh?" I asked playfully, trying to get more information out of him. "How far out of town?"

"_Woman_. Behave," he said, swatting my backside. "I promise, you'll love it. Sit back and enjoy!"

We drove for about thirty minutes east before we decided to stop at a Boston Market for some lunch. I was hungry after my workout, and apparently, Edward was too. It was an oddly quiet meal for being at a fast food place. Relaxing even. Neither one of us were in a rush, something unusual for us lately. We laughed and chatted, sitting and sipping iced tea even after we had finished eating.

We got on the road after filling up the gas tank and grabbing a soda to drink on the way. He just told me the drive would be about an hour and a half and that I needed to lay back and relax.

It was a quiet drive, and I honestly think Edward was too excited to talk. He was chewing on his bottom lip almost non stop, his eyes flicking over to me occasionally. I decided to give him the time he needed. He would talk to me when he was ready.

Alice had her ways, and I had my own.

I knew my way was the right way and it would work out for the best in the end.

If I didn't know Edward so well, I would have thought we were lost, but he seemed to know exactly where we were going as we drove through the pine tree forests of East Texas. Everything was bright and green, tiny yellow flowers just starting to dot the sides of the roads. Despite being February, it was starting to get warm and spring-like.

I gasped loudly when I saw exactly where we were going. Fields of grapes stretched out across the countryside, a beautiful light colored wood cabin snuggled in the middle. It wasn't a small cabin either. It was huge with a couple of large stone chimneys coming out of the top.

"So," Edward began as he turned off the car. "I started doing research right after we came back from England. I was trying to find the closest vineyard. I figured I'd end up just taking you to Napa Valley for the weekend. But, I found this place. I thought it was beautiful and then I realized it was a bed and breakfast too. It was perfect."

"Edward," I breathed softly, feeling a little choked up all of a sudden.

"Is this okay?" He asked quietly, biting his bottom lip.

"This is... oh, god," I whimpered, reaching over and hugging him tightly. "This is perfect. This is amazing. Thank you. You didn't have to do this for me."

"This isn't just for you," he said, running his fingers over my cheek. "This is for me too. I get to spend two days completely alone with you, drinking wine."

I laughed, sniffling quietly. "Thank you," I said again.

"Don't do that," he laughed, rubbing my back. "You're not supposed to cry. Honey, it's okay."

"I know it is," I said, nodding my head as I pulled away. "Sorry, just emotional. I've missed you so much lately."

"I've missed you too," he said, leaning in for a quick kiss. "So, why don't we go inside, get arranged, and then get ready for dinner?"

"Oh? What's for dinner?"

"Another surprise," he replied, squeezing my hand. "Trust me, you'll enjoy it."

We came inside, Edward carrying both of the bags. We were instantly greeted by a pale man with blond hair and a thick accent that I could not place. "Welcome to Enoch's stomp. How can I help you?"

"We have a reservation for tonight."

"Cullen?" He asked, walking behind a desk. I was surprised that he knew the name right off the top of his head. He was good.

"That would be us, yes," Edward smiled, going over to the desk. I followed behind, still trying to figure out the man's accent. "Here's my ID."

"Oh, yes sir. We've got you all set up. Here is your key," he said, handing him an old-fashioned copper looking key. "If you follow me, I'll show you to your room."

"I've got to ask," I said as I followed behind. "Where are you from? It certainly isn't from Texas."

"No no," he laughed, shaking his head. "I was born in South Africa."

"Wow," I said. I couldn't even imagine how someone from South Africa could end up in East Texas making wine. I wanted to ask, but I was too distracted by our beautiful room. "Wow," I said again, stepping inside to get a better look.

"Enjoy your stay with us and please let me know if you need anything," the man said before ducking out. As soon as the door closed behind him, I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around my body.

"How do you like your home for the night, Ms. Swan?" Edward breathed in my ear.

"This is... this is beyond words," I said, turning. "Thank you."

"Stop saying that," he laughed. "There is absolutely no need to thank me. You have no idea how long I've been looking forward to this. We haven't had two days completely alone in a very long time. Maybe ever. We need this."

"You are right about that," I said, kissing his lips lightly. The kiss slowly deepened, his long fingers weaving into my hair. After a few minutes, I pulled away panting. "What about dinner?"

Edward looked down at his watch, "we have two hours before we need to even worry about that. That gives me just enough time to do something I've wanted to do for about a week now..." He trailed off suggestively.

"Oh? What's that?" I asked playfully. "Take a nap?"

"Tempting," he laughed as he slid his hands down from my waist to my ass. He squeezed it tightly before moving them down to my thighs. "But I know something I want to do more than that."

One second my feet were on the ground and the next my legs were wrapped around Edward's waist. I squealed loudly, laughing as my arms went around him.

"Edward! What are you doing?"

"Well, I do believe I am about to do filthy things to you," he said in a mocking southern accent. I laughed again, my head falling back as I did. He chuckled, the most free-spirited I had seen him in a long time. It was so nice.

"What sort of filthy things?" I asked, tugging on his hair gently. He gave me a soft growl as he laid me down on the bed, hovering over me like a predator.

"Well, I plan on spending some much-needed quality time between your legs," he said against my neck, running his fingers over my inner thighs. "And I plan on touching every single inch of you with my lips, fingers, tongue, teeth... and, certain other body parts."

"And what are you going to do with this?" I asked, running my hand over his very obvious erection. Edward moaned loudly, and I knew in that second that that night was going to be amazing. He sucked in a breath through his teeth, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them and refocusing on me.

They were literally on fire.

_Hello Bella Jello. It's been such a long time since we last met. So lovely to see you again. _

"What I'm going to do," Edward said as he interrupted my inner ramblings, "is first put it right here," he said as he rubbed his finger over my lips before just barely pushing the tip in. I slipped my tongue over it as I watched the fire in his eyes flicker and dance. "Then I'm going to rub it all over here." He rubbed his palm over my breast and then the other, "And here. And then I'm going to ram it in right here." He cupped me gently between my thighs. "Over and over again."

I think Bella Jello just melted. He did say filthy. Fuck. Me. _Hard_.

"Please," I whimpered, leaning up to kiss him. He smiled against my mouth, his palm pressing harder against me. I ground against him wantonly. I didn't give a damn at that moment. I was so horny.

"Please what?"

"Please take off your pants and fuck me," I said, pushing him over onto his back and straddled his waist. I don't know where my little attitude came from, but I certainly was going to enjoy it. "Now."

Edward's eyes went wide before narrowing and setting on my clothes. He swiftly sat up with me still on his lap. One second my shirt was on and the next it wasn't, the same going for my bra. With a soft growl, his mouth covered my nipple, sucking it to life as his hand worked on the other with his fingers.

"Shit!" I hissed as my head fell back, grinding my hips against his erection. He groaned against my breast, nipping at it with his teeth. It was heaven.

Finally, I worked off his shirt. I was only able to enjoy that for a moment before I was once again on my back with him on top of me. Not that I was complaining.

"I think I'm going to bury my face in between your legs and never leave. Is that okay with you?" He asked, kissing my mouth slowly.

"Please," I asked quietly, not that I knew what I was asking for at that point. I would have taken anything he was willing to give me.

Edward slid down my body slowly, pressing his face against the center of my breasts before turning his face to kiss each. As he did so, his lips dragged against my skin tortuously, making me buck up against him. His hands moved against my sides, down to the button of my jeans.

He worked them down my legs with a skill that only came with practice, his eyes looking up at me the entire time. My panties stayed in place, and his eyes focused on them slowly as a smile came over his lips. He leaned forward, his hot breath spreading over them before kissing just right _there_.

"Oh, fuck," I moaned, moving my hips upwards. His fingers dug into my skin as he tugged my panties down just a little bit. Just enough to expose my very sensitive clit to the cool air.

And then his hot tongue was there. It slid between my lips perfectly, going around in a tight circle. He moaned against me, bringing his hands between my thighs to just pull me apart a little bit. He stopped for a moment like he was enjoying the view, before dipping in again. God, he was so good with his mouth.

One hand spread me open wide while his thumb grazed against my bright pink ultra-sensitive skin. I came apart at the seams embarrassingly quickly, but that didn't stop him.

He finally tugged my panties downwards until they hit the floor. Edward brought my legs up at the knees, making me completely spread open.

"How horrible would it be to say that I love your pussy?"

I shivered from head to toe. "Edward," I groaned.

"I do," he said in a low voice. "It's beautiful. And fuck, it tastes so good." And to prove his point, he licked me from top to bottom with great care. "Delicious."

I sat up and grabbed the back of his head. Pulling him to my mouth, I kissed him furiously. I could taste myself on his lips, salty and sweet. My fingers tore at his jeans, finally pulling them down. I wasn't as graceful as Edward was, but I got the job done.

I pushed him onto his back and brought him into mouth before he could even realize what was happening.

"I wasn't done with you," he finally managed to moan out after a few moments.

"We have all night. And tomorrow. And I need you in my mouth _now_," I told him with a little challenge in my voice. I wrapped my fingers around the base of his cock and licked the tip softly.

"I'm not going to last if you do that," he said in a strained voice. I answered by dipping my head lower and swallowing as much as I could. A soft gurgling noise echoed in his throat as he tried to hold himself back. Long fingers knotted in my hair, pulling me away. I couldn't help but smile as he threw me back on the bed.

"You know, I was going to try to be romantic," he said with a smirk, taking both of my legs and bringing them over his shoulders. He looked half-crazed, and it was totally hot. He slammed into me hard, forcing a squeak to from my mouth.

"Harder," I cried out, my fingers clawing at the mattress. "Please, harder!"

He forced himself into me so hard that I slid up the bed a good foot. We both laughed, rearranging hurriedly. We had a lot of time to make up for. Next, I was on top of him, his long, strong fingers grasping my hips.

And then from behind and then bent over the bed.

And then while spooning.

Finally, after several of my own orgasms, Edward reached his while he was on top again. He fell beside me on the bed, panting. He looked so damn pleased with himself. I giggled at his happy expression, and he chuckled in return, pulling me into his side.

"How do you do that?" He asked with laughter still in his voice. "How do you make me feel so amazing? It's like you know exactly what to do."

"I could ask you the same," I told him truthfully. Rolling onto my stomach, I came to rest on my elbows so I could look at him. "Edward..."

"Hm?" He hummed, running his fingers over my cheeks.

"Happy Valentine's day," I said softly. A broad grin grew over his face. He leaned in, lightly kissing me.

"You too, baby."

After a shower we finally got ourselves dressed. When asked where we were going, he still refused to tell me. He just kept telling me that it wasn't far.

Edward wasn't joking.

He took me to the covered porch on the outside of the wooden building and waiting for us was a pizza and a bottle of the wine that they made at the vineyard. It was almost precisely like the meal we shared that first night together. The night we stayed up and talked all night.

We watched the sunset as we ate, drinking our chilled white wine. It was all so good. It was amazing the things he could plan.

When we were done, he took my hand to take me on a stroll. We walked quietly for a few minutes before we came to a meadow behind the winery. Edward took off his jacket and laid it on the ground for us so we could look up at the stars together.

"Bella, can I talk to you about something?" He asked quietly after we got settled. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky, and it was beautiful. Despite being cold, there wasn't anywhere else I would have wanted to be.

"Anything," I assured him, rubbing my hand over his stomach gently.

"I was wondering if you'd like to..." He stopped.

"Like to what?"

"Buy a home with me?"

Well, apparently I was worried about nothing. I sat up quickly and looked at him. His eyes were wide with worry. It was completely unneeded.

Truthfully, earlier in the day when I spoke to Alice, I wasn't sure it was the best idea in the world. But, as I looked at Edward, I knew exactly what I wanted.

"Yes."

**What's still on The List:**

_**Go to an event that requires formal wear, Make a new dish a week- a healthy one, Go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Throw a party, Make a homemade cake, Go to a baseball game , Buy a two-piece bathing suit and go swimming in it- in front of people , Sunbathe, Grow some sort of plant, Clean up language **_

**Here's what we have done!**

_**Reconnect with a friend. Size ten. orgasm by another person's hands, Just take the next flight to anywhere no matter where it is, Go to London , Kiss a total stranger, Love self , Dance in the Rain, Play hide and seek, gotten high before, told someone really hated off, Gone to a Casino, Get a tattoo, Buy a pair of high heels and actually wear them, Flirt and have it work, Take dance lessons, Join a gym, Go to a concert, Stay at a bed and breakfast, Plant a tree, Do something truly kinky, Do something crafty, Buy something from Tiffany's, Visit a Winery, Learn to knit, Go to Ripley's believe it or not, Buy fancy knickers, Stay up and watch the sunrise, try Greek Food, Take a self defense course, Stay at a 5 star hotel for no good reason, Go to a Spa, Try French Food, Try at least 10 different beers from different countries, Go to a gay club, Celebrate Halloween, Go to a dance club, Dye hair some crazy color, Go to a double feature, read Interview with a Vampire **_

**Also, remember that she crossed out the Blind date from her list. She didn't want to do it anymore!**

**Thanks for reading! **


	36. Chapter 36

**Conversations**

"Really?" Edward sat up quickly, looking completely surprised.

"Yes," I laughed. "Why are you so shocked?"

"I thought... I don't know. I don't know what I thought. But, Bella, you really mean it? I mean, I understand if you want to think about it. I get that. I don't want to make you feel pressured or anything because I know-"

I tackled him to the ground, laughing. "Yes, I am sure. No, you are not pressuring me. I was kind of already thinking about it. We'll have to work out the money stuff. Like how much we want to put down on it each and how we'll arrange the bills."

"Of course," Edward smiled the biggest smile I had ever seen. It was so beautiful. "I've got about a hundred thousand saved up."

I choked on my own spit. "We're not going to use up your entire life savings!"

He laughed, rubbing a gentle hand down my back. "That's not my entire life savings. That's just what I've been saving for a house. I also have a savings account and a retirement fund with about twenty-five thousand each."

"How did you manage that?" I asked in shock.

"I've been saving all my money since I was eighteen. I knew one day I would want to buy a house and one day I would retire." He shrugged. "I'm just cautious like that, I suppose. I've been putting almost half of what I make into savings since I started working. My parents made sure I could manage my money. That, and I've been kind of living on the bare minimum for a while now."

"That's a lot of dough," I commented.

"I kind of figured that I wouldn't put that all down on a house at once," he said, giving me a small smile. "You know there is always moving expenses and repairs to be made. I know you have a decent savings, but I don't want to dip into it all at once either."

"We could..." I stopped, still shocked by the amount of money that he had saved up. I shook my head to clear away the cobwebs. "We could do fifty thousand each."

"That would be good," Edward nodded his thoughtfully. "We'll have to figure out what we want. I mean, this is where we're going to live for the rest of our lives-" He stopped himself there, blushing. "I mean, I hope we do."

"We will," I said softly, blushing as well in the darkness. "We'll have to work out the details but let's not worry about that right now. I have something more important to do right now."

"What that?" He asked with a slight smile, running his hand gently over my back again.

"Kissing you."

The afternoon before might not have been romantic but the evening was. We stayed up most of the night and made love over and over again. It was gentle, loving, and everything I needed and more. By the time I fell asleep I was utterly sated, a stupid grin hovering on my lips.

Of course, the elderly couple that had the room beside us gave us a dirty look when we came out at the wine tasting later that afternoon. Not that either of us cared truly. I gave the woman an apologetic smile, but she just turned her nose up at me.

Edward just told me that they were jealous. I had to agree.

We tried every single kind of wine that the place made, and all of it was so good, but I might have been biased at the point. I ended up buying a few bottles to take home with me. I was going to give one to Alice for sure because I knew she would like it. They also made some delicious dessert wines as well that I knew Jasper would like.

It was sad to leave that afternoon, but I had to admit, I preferred my bed. It was more comfortable. It was around eight when we arrived back into Dallas, and we decided the best idea for the rest of the evening was laying in bed.

We were both tired from the night before.

Besides, we had some things we wanted to talk about.

So, we took a shower where we actually behaved and then put on our pajamas before crawling into the bed. My head was on Edward's stomach, and his hand was resting on my shoulder, rubbing it gently.

"I think we should get a four bedroom place," he began the conversation. "Your bed is more comfortable and is bigger than mine so we could use it in the master. We can use my bed for the guest bedroom for now."

"What would we do with the rest?" I asked with a laugh, trying to imagine all that space. I wasn't used to living somewhere so big.

"Office for you, of course," Edward said thoughtfully. "I was thinking maybe we could get a living room and a den that I could make into my music room."

"What about the fourth bedroom?" I pushed.

"For future children," he said, tugging on my hair gently. "Storage for now."

"That's works for me," I said, smiling up at him. Edward's cheeks were flushed bright, but he was smiling. "So, a four bedroom with a living room and a den. Three bathrooms?"

"Two and a half, at least," he agreed. "With a garage."

"This place is going to be huge," I snickered. "Who is going to clean it up?"

"I'll hire a maid service," he chuckled. "Don't worry. Anyway, we've got to talk about the price range."

"Ugh, the money part," I frowned.

And as if to save me, for a few minutes at least, the phone rang. Edward picked it up off of my side table and handed it to me. I didn't even glance at the number.

"Hello?"

"Hey, baby," my mom said cheerfully. "How are you doing?"

"I'm most excellent," I said brightly in return, making Edward chuckle. I felt him rumble against my cheek and it made me laugh in return. "How are you doing? Things working out okay?"

"Things are a lot better," she said.

"Yeah, she's on hormones now," Phil shouted in the background. I heard something being chucked in his general direction. He started laughing, as did my mother.

"Hormones, huh?"

"Menopause. Who knew it could make you such a bitch?" She laughed. "Anyway, how are you and Edward?"

"We're great. We've actually just decided to buy a house together."

"Really?" She asked, shocked. _Oh crap_, my mind screamed. Was I going to have to put up a fight? I decided it was wise to start backpedaling.

"Well, not today. But we were thinking about moving into somewhere before July first if we can find something."

"That's great, sweetie. Let me know if you need any help or anything," she answered back, shocking me.

I was expecting some sort of judgment on her part. Or an argument. Or screaming. Or something. Apparently, hormones worked miracles. Perhaps she should have been on them years ago.

"Thanks, Mom. Um, how was your Valentine's day?"

"Paris was great! But the flight was a bitch. I cannot stand those long flight. So uncomfortable. What did you two end up doing?" I explained to her what we ended up doing the past couple of days, missing some important details that she didn't need to know about. "Aw! That is so romantic," she cooed.

"Yeah, Edward did a great job," I said, squeezing his hip gently. He smiled at me, winking playfully. I giggled, scooting up to kiss his lips.

"Well," she laughed happily. I think I needed some of those hormones. "It sounds like I need to let you two go. Have a wonderful night and send me an email when you can! Keep me up to date with the housing situation!"

"Will do, Mom."

"Love you!" She said. "Tell Edward goodnight for me."

"I will, Mom. I love you, too. Goodnight."

"Wow! A phone call from your mother and I don't need to give you a soothing back massage and a glass of wine?" Edward asked in pretend surprise, making me laugh.

"Well, you don't need to, but I certainly wouldn't mind," I teased him. "I would never turn down either."

"Mm, why don't we hold off on that until we finish talking about certain things," he said, knowing what I was trying to get out of it at. I frowned a little bit. "The sooner we finish with this part, the faster we can get to the fun part."

"And what is the fun part?"

"Well, picking out the house, of course."

"You sound like Alice," I snickered. "I would have thought the best part would be having sex on all of the _flattish_ surfaces of our new place."

"Flattish," he snorted. "Now you sound like Jasper. Come on, be serious."

I groaned loudly and laid my face flat on the mattress. "Fine, if I must."

"Price range?" He began.

"Uh... well, it depends on a few things. Like, how long would you like to do the mortgage for. And how much do you want the payments to be monthly."

"So... Well, I don't want to pay for it the rest of my life, so the shortest term loan we can get with still keeping it under say... fifteen hundred a month? Something around the two hundred to three hundred thousand range. Wow, that sounds like a lot," he muttered to himself.

"I pay more than that a month here," I told him truthfully. "We could go a little higher if you wanted."

He frowned and shook his head, "I don't want anything more than that right now. Let's just see what our options are first before we up the price range."

"Probably a good idea," I agreed.

"How will we do the bills?"

"How about this? You pay for the house and your car, and I pay for the rest. The internet will come out of my business funds anyway. It'll be less confusing that way. Let's see? Electricity, water, garbage, lawn service, cable, phone service which will come out of business funds as well, and my car. Oh, and groceries. That'll probably be even."

"I think we should get a joint account," he said quietly.

"What for?" I asked curiously.

"To save for any future expenses we might have. You know... Wedding... Children. Those sort of things."

He looked so anxious and shy when he said it. I brought my head on his chest to rest and nodded. "That sounds like a good idea. We should look into that sooner rather than later. Maybe add five hundred a month together into it. Is that too much?" I asked, lifting my head to look at him. "Two fifty each?"

"That's fine." He gave me a small grin. His fingers ran through my hair gently. I was so glad that he didn't push the marriage thing. We, of course, talked about it, but he wasn't dropping to one knee yet. He chuckled, bringing me out of my thoughts. "Wow, how did we become so serious and adult-like? Weren't we just having raunchy sex yesterday and getting nasty looks from old people?"

I laughed, pinching his side. "We were already grown-ups. We're just acting like it now."

"I think I like being an adult."

"Me too," I agreed. "A lot. Edward, can I ask you something?"

"You can ask me whatever you want. You know that."

"Why didn't you just buy a house before? You have more than enough money. You make more than enough to cover all the bills for just about anything you want."

"I was waiting."

"For what?"

He touched my chin, bringing my eyes level with his. They were sparkling in the dim lamplight beside my bed. "For you."

"I can't believe that you and Edward are buying a house together!" Alice gushed a week later as we put some final touches on some of the wedding details. Our dresses were picked out, along everything that was going with them, and a place to have the wedding and the reception. The photographer had been set up as was the band. She had all the food arranged.

She had even hired hair and makeup people to get us ready on her big day. It was crazy. I couldn't imagine how someone could throw a wedding like it together in four months. Though, I suppose if anyone could do it, it was Alice.

The only details that Alice didn't have control over was the cake and the honeymoon. Jasper had those things covered.

"Me either. We're going to start looking next week. Edward's already started moving in some of his things into my place. We're going to get a storage room for the rest," I informed her.

"When will he be completely moved in with you?"

"Probably the day before the wedding," I snorted. "He told them he would be out by April first. He's going to get Emmett to help him out with moving the big stuff. I offered to hire a moving company, but apparently, he has to be 'manly' and do this on his own."

We both scoffed and rolled our eyes.

"I cannot wait to go to New Orleans," Alice sighed, going off subject. "I have been so stressed out. I've hardly been able to paint. I'm hoping the Big Easy gives me some big inspiration."

"Bring a notebook and sketch some of the stuff you see while you're down there," I suggested. "That way you remember some of the ideas you get."

"I love the way you think," she said with a large smile. "What do you want to do in Nawlins?" Alice asked in a thick southern drawl.

"I'm not sure," I told her truthfully. "Catch some beads. Drink some hurricanes."

"Jasper keeps talking about getting pralines. He's thinking about adding a candy shop to the bakery. Fresh pralines, fudge, and truffles. You know, things like that."

"You are by far the luckiest woman in the world," I said, shaking my head in disbelief. "Jasper is like a PMSing woman's dream come true."

"You know, he had a crush on you first," she giggled, making me blush. _No, I didn't know that._ "He was trying to get closer to you through me... and well, the rest is history."

"Really?" I asked in a high pitched voice.

"Yes, _really_."

"Wow," I huffed thoughtfully. "Good thing I didn't date him. I never would have dated Edward, and I would be like eight hundred pounds. I'm surprised you're not."

A wicked grin came over her face. "It's all the hours of hot kinky sex. It's better than going to the gym."

"Too much information," I groaned. "Far too much."

"Okay, now down to business! Bouquets!"

I groaned once again. I was so hiring a wedding planner when I had my own wedding. _No_, scratch that. I was going to have a wedding about an eighth the size of Alice's.

Later that afternoon I received a call from across the pond. Esme and I had been keeping touch over emails, and we had exchanged phone numbers. It just made sense if I needed to get hold of her or she needed to get some information from me on the fly. Edward certainly didn't seem to mind. He loved that his mother and I were getting so close.

"Hello?"

"OH, BABY GIRL!" Esme squealed. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?!" She demanded.

"Tell you what?" I asked, confused.

"Edward just told me that you two are moving in together! Why didn't you tell me sooner!? This is so amazing!"

I laughed, "we just figured it out last week, and we've been busy since then. I'm sorry. Where are you at?" I asked, trying to deflect the conversation away from me. I knew this would work. Esme and Carlisle were traveling somewhere in Europe.

"We're in Germany! I'm not exactly sure where. We're on a train right now. We're going to Berlin tomorrow, and we're going to see the wall and Checkpoint Charlie."

"Take lots of pictures for me and send them to me. I am so jealous."

"I will do! Perhaps you two should come next year over here for a month. We can do some country hopping." She gave a little sigh before finishing, "as a family."

"We'll have to see if we can afford it! We'll have to see after we buy the house. We may be broke after that," I teased her.

"You're going to come to visit one way or another," she said in a motherly tone. "I loved having you two here."

"We'll see," I said to appease her. My phone beeped, signaling another call. It was a client. "Esme, I hate to do this, but I need to go back to work. I'll email you later."

"Promise?"

"Of course!" I giggled. "Bye, Esme."

"Bye, Bella. I love you and make sure to send Edward my love too."

"I will," I gave a happy sigh before putting my head back in the game.

"I've found it! It's perfect!" Edward shouted as he busted into my front door that following weekend. He was still in a tux from working earlier, holding a newspaper in his fist. He was way too loud for eleven in the evening, but he seemed so excited.

"Found what?" I asked, raising an eyebrow in his direction. He came quickly to kneel beside me in front of the couch.

"The house. Bella, oh, god... it's perfect. It's a four bedroom, four bath with a den, living room, dining room, and a kitchen. It's a single story on an acre of land. It's about ten minutes from here so we'd still be close to everything and-"

"Slow down... slow down," I said, taking the newspaper from his hand and looking at what he had circled. "How much is this place?"

"That's the thing. They're trying to keep from foreclosing so they're doing a quick sale. They just want to get rid of it."

"How much?" I asked once again.

"It's a half million dollar home, but they only want two hundred thousand for it."

"What's wrong with it?" I snorted. There had to be a catch.

"I drove past it on the way here. From what I can tell, it looks to be in good condition. I talked to the owner, and she said we could come tomorrow and take a look," he said, batting his eyelashes at me. "If that's okay."

"Edward, don't expect to find the perfect house on the first try. This really does seem to be too good to be true. Of course, we can look. They don't mind us coming on a Sunday?"

"She said it was fine," he said before hugging me tightly. "You'll see, my love," he said, his accent thick with his happiness. "I have a wonderful feeling about this."

"This is too good to be true," I muttered stupidly to myself as I gazed at the inside of the extremely beautiful house. At the words, Edward squeezed my hand tightly, so giddy he was almost vibrating. "Wow."

The house was amazing. It had a small front yard and a large back, the area fenced in if we ever wanted dogs. The wooden outside was painted a very pale yellow which was surprisingly flattering, and the shutters were an eggshell white. There were tons of windows to let the light in, but there were a lot of old trees as well to help keep the electricity bill low. It was almost thirty-five hundred square feet. It was more than we needed at the moment, but we were planning for our future as well. All the rooms were large, and one of the bedrooms already had a ton of shelving in it. I already decided if we moved here, that would be my office.

"We've been renovating it for a while now," the woman explained. "We'd rather see it go to a good family than to the bank. As much as I'd like to keep the place, it makes more sense to downsize. Our kids are gone, and the cost is too much for us now."

"Of course," I agreed absently, going to into the large kitchen. Edward stiffened beside me at the sight of it.

"Oh, wow," he said as he let go of my hand. There was a massive range with six burners and a grill in the center. It also had two ovens.

"All the appliances come with," the woman said, trying to make the sale. I didn't think she had to try that hard.

I walked over to Edward and took his hand again. His eyes looked into mine, and I knew what they were saying. He wanted this place, and badly.

"We would like to put an offer on it. We have almost half of the cost already, and we'd like to finance the rest," I turned to the Realtor who just happened to be the owner as well.

A large grin spread over her face. "Half? Truly? Well, with information like that, I'm fairly certain you can get it. But, we'll still have to go over the paperwork and wait for your approval. How long would you like to do it for?"

"Ten years, maybe fifteen. We'd like to get it paid off as soon as possible," Edward said, beaming at me. He didn't take his attention away from me even while she began to speak.

"Very doable! Great! Why don't we go into my office and we'll get started on the paperwork for tomorrow? It may take a few days to get the loan approved, but I'm hoping that won't be a problem. We were planning to be out of the house by May first anyway. Does that work for you?"

"It does," I said.

Edward leaned over and kissed me deeply on the lips excitedly. Looking at him at that moment made me feel like that this day was the first day of the rest of my life.

**This chapter really is all about talking to people. **

**Btw... lovely guest reviewer from South Africa… HI! That's so cool! (Enoch's Stomp is a real place and it's run by a real South African family!) It's so cool to hear where y'all are from. So, I'll ask everyone… Where are y'all from? **

**Thanks for reading! **


	37. Chapter 37

**New Orleans**

"I am so jealous of you," Alice complained on our short flight to New Orleans. At the moment the girls, Alice, Rose, and I, were all sitting on one aisle and Jasper, Emmett, and Edward were right behind us. I sat in the middle, allowing Alice the window and Rose the aisle. I would have taken the aisle seat myself, but Rose looked as if she was going to throw up at any moment. Apparently, flights didn't agree with her stomach much either.

"You shouldn't be," I told her. "Yours is bigger and newer."

"Not that! The fact that you found it on the FIRST try! That is insane. I looked for months before I found the perfect house here."

"We haven't gotten it yet," I said with a sigh.

Yeah, the bank was taking its sweet fucking time trying to decide if we could get the loan together. I wasn't sure why. We had provided them all the information they needed. We had tons of money in the bank. There was no way that we would miss a payment in the next year at the very least, just from Edward's savings alone. I wasn't sure what the hold up was, but I didn't like it one bit.

"It's just a matter of time," Edward said behind me. "Trust me, love. Don't worry."

"She's not worried," Alice smirked. "She's impatient."

"Either way." I shrugged. "It needs to hurry up. Can we talk about something less stressful? At the very least I know we're not going to hear anything from them today," I said as I looked at my watch. It was already five o'clock. Even if it was a Monday, they were done for the day. "What do you want to do besides the parades?"

"Tonight I want to hit Bourbon Street," Jasper called out. Emmett high-fived him.

"Parades tomorrow," Alice said with a wicked smile. "Lots of hurricanes."

"I want to go on the ferry cruise on Wednesday," Rose added in.

"I saw that they have a package where you can go to the aquarium and the zoo on the ferry," Edward added in. "That would be a fun way to spend the day. What about you, love?"

"I just want to spend time with all my friends," I said with another shrug. I was sad that we had to return late Thursday. Edward had to work on Friday afternoon and Saturday. He was worried that he would have to cancel something on the day of Alice's wedding, but luckily that wasn't a worry. I knew he would have hated to do that and I had never seen him do something like it before.

"Oh!" Alice said as if she suddenly remembered something. "I want to buy a Blue Dog painting for my collection."

"I won't even ask," Emmett smirked.

"It's a series of paintings done by George Rodrigue. Thank you very much," Alice scoffed. "His work is beautiful, bright, and very modern. Get some culture, swine."

"I'd rather get a beer," Emmett answered sarcastically. Rose smirked, rolling her eyes as she looked over at Alice and me. "And some oysters. I want something Cajun. I am starving."

"We'll be landing in like twenty minutes and then we have to check in. Think you can control your stomach until then? I know it'll be difficult for you," Edward asked him sarcastically. I think there might have been a rude gesture, but I wasn't sure.

"Ass hat," Emmett muttered. Rose turned around and gave him the evil eye. "What?"

"Behave," she warned him. When she turned around, I looked at him in time to see him stick his tongue out at her. "Don't think I didn't see that, mister. You are not that smooth."

His face instantly turned green.

_This is going to be an interesting trip. _

Our home away from home was bustling with activity and people coming and going, so it took forever for us to get checked in. We had rooms all on the same floor of the hotel, but they weren't right next to each other. That was probably a good thing. I wasn't sure what Rosalie and Emmett would be doing in private, and I was positive Edward didn't want to know- at all.

Rosalie said she needed a nap before we went anywhere so we all decided to get freshened up and that we would go out for dinner at nine before going to party. It gave us roughly two and a half hours to waste.

I didn't need a shower. The plane ride wasn't that long, so I didn't feel that gross. I decided it was probably wise to get a nap as well. I wasn't sure what we would be doing that night, and I didn't know how much walking we would be doing the following day. It was probably better safe than sorry.

Edward snuggled beside me, setting the alarm so we would have thirty minutes to get ready.

"How are you?" Edward asked me in the quiet darkness. His hand slowly ran through my hair, combing it with his fingers soothingly.

"Frustrated," I told him truthfully. "A little tired."

"Bella," he sighed softly. "We both have good credit. The bank will call. If not? You know what... I'll be able to front the rest of the money. I'll just use everything if I have to. This is the house I want for us."

"I wouldn't let you do that," I complained.

"You could put some into it too. Maybe another twenty-five hundred. I'd front the rest," he said, shaking his head. "Bella, we will get this place. One way or the other. I assure you. I'm not going to let it slip through my fingers. Don't worry about it."

I nodded my head, tucking it underneath his chin. He turned his face to the side and lightly kissed the top of my head. "I love you," I muttered quietly.

"I love you, too. Don't worry so much. We've got this."

My heart knew he was right, but my head wasn't so sure. It was causing a few issues, like heartburn and a headache. Despite my all over annoyance induced ache, I fell asleep. Though it wasn't exactly restful.

I don't know what I was dreaming about, not really. It was just dark, cold, and scary. I woke up to gentle hands moving over my arms and Edward whispering in my hair, "Bella, love... sh... It's okay. I've got you. You're okay."

I turned my face into his chest, softly whimpering his name in my still exhausted state. My fingers gripped his shirt to hold him as close as possible to me. I was just relaxing back into sleep when the alarm started going off. It shocked the crap out of me. I jumped, knocking my head into Edward's. He moaned in pain before he started laughing, rubbing his forehead gently.

"Ow! Woman, I will say one thing. You have a hard head."

"So do you," I complained, putting my hands on my forehead as I fell back onto the pillows. "Ow."

Someone banged on our door loudly, making me jump once again. Edward groaned, "yeah?"

"Hurry up, bitches! I'm hungry!" Rose yelled grumpily. I looked at Edward with a raised eyebrow, but he just shrugged his shoulders.

"Sorry, we're coming," I answered for us.

"Wonder what has her in such a foul mood," he said as we freshened up quickly.

"Who knows. The flight maybe? I know when my ears pop it makes me grumpy," I shrugged.

Ten minutes later we joined our small group in the lobby. Rosalie was tapping one of her feet. "Finally! Come on! I've been wanting some gumbo all day."

We took the trolley down the Quarter a ways to a part that wasn't completely crazy. We decided to visit a local seafood place. We sat down at the table and Alice went straight to the page in her menu with the liquor.

"Let's get a bottle of wine!" She said excitedly.

"Sounds good to me," I agreed. Edward nodded his head.

"Let's get a nice white," Jasper chimed.

"I'll take a beer. You can have your fruity wine," Emmett decided to add in. "What about you, baby?"

"I'll take a water," Rosalie shrugged.

Alice frowned at her answer. "You don't have to be the designated driver. We were going to take the trolley or a couple of cabs. Feel free to have a couple."

"I can't," she said, a small smile growing on her lips.

"Why?" Emmett asked, confused. He looked over to his bride's brother who just shrugged.

Edward was the first one to get it. "Oh, my god! Congrats! How far along?" He flew over to his aunt, giving her a huge hug. She hugged him back, giggling.

"Twelve weeks. Somewhere around there."

"Congratulations," I said, offering a hand to Emmett. He looked totally in shock. Then it dawned on me. "Did you know?"

He shook his head slowly.

"Do you remember that night that Bella and Edward took Bridget to Ripley's?" Rose said, patting her stomach as she looked at her husband. He nodded slowly. "Yeah, well... Good work, baby."

And then all of a sudden it all sunk in. Emmett hopped out of his chair and whooped loudly. "HELL YEAH! I AM GOING TO BE A DADDY AGAIN! MY PARTS WORK, DAMNIT!"

"Was he worried about them not working?" I whispered to his nephew. Edward just shrugged as he sat down beside me once again.

Emmett grabbed Rosalie in his arms and practically threw her in the air before kissing her hard on the mouth. The waiter came by quickly, looking horrified at the sight. Instead of stopping he looked at that little boy and went, "shut up, man! My woman is gonna have a baby. I can be loud if a damn well please."

"Sit down you big oaf," Jasper scoffed quietly before giving his sister a hug. "I'm going to be an uncle again. That's awesome, sis."

"We need champagne!" Alice chirped happily. "I have to make a toast."

And her toast began with the words, "better you than me!"

Joined in by Jasper's, "Amen!"

Everyone laughed and clinked their glasses, Rosalie drinking sparkling water.

"What now?" Jasper asked excitedly as we exited the restaurant.

"Hurricanes and hand grenades and let's pray Rosalie can haul all our drunk asses back to the hotel!" Alice said with a little hop and a skip. Emmett cheered, and Rose frowned. Edward and I just laughed.

"Let's hit Bourbon Street," I suggested.

Which, by the way, was a madhouse. The streets were packed with people. Edward held onto my hand tightly as we wove through the ocean of drunks. Alice was like a bloodhound trying to find the closest open street bar. She ordered us each, except for Rose, of course, a huge Pat O'Brien's Hurricane. We were going full-on tourist.

We would go through a couple of shops, have a drink, and then go to another. We found our way into a couple of free clubs, dancing to the music before getting another drink.

And another.

And another.

And another.

It was somewhere around the sixth or so drink that I was smashed out of my mind. I may have been an adult with the whole house thing, but when it came to drinking at Mardi Gras? I might as well have been a teenager.

Edward was just as bad off, maybe just a little bit less so since he was so much taller than me. Alice was wobbly, and Emmett looked like his normal self from what I could tell. And Jasper was the zen master. Nothing could have bothered him at the moment.

"I want to go to a strip club!" Jasper yelled at his wife, a stupid smile on his face.

I expected her to argue with him. Of course, she didn't. "Sounds like fun! Let's go!" I began to open my mouth to argue, but she gave me a pointed glance. "Our party and I say we see some tits."

"This is going to end so badly," Edward snickered into my ear, holding on tightly to my waist.

We came to a bar with no cover charge but with a two-drink minimum. No one was going to argue with that, besides Rose who complained that she was pregnant. The doorman said she could order a soda, but she still had to have two. She wasn't too happy about that, but Emmett dragged her away before she could start screaming at the man. Pregnancy hormones were scary.

"I want a lemon drop," I yelled at the barely dressed waitress. My shy boyfriend was being very careful to not look anywhere but at her face. It was rather funny actually.

"Shot or drink?" She asked.

"Oh! I want a shot!" Alice yelled. "Make it two shots!"

"I can't believe I'm in a strip club with my girlfriend," Edward mumbled when the waitress tripped away in her massive heels. Jasper and Emmett's eyes were glued to the center pole where there was a very topless young woman dancing. Edward's eyes were on the floor, and he was blushing a furious shade of red.

"Ever been to one before?" I asked, putting my hand on his thigh comfortingly. He shook his head. "Me either."

"Shots! Shots! Shots!" Alice squealed in a sing-song voice as the waitress set us down four shots. I didn't remember ordering that many, but Alice pushed two my way. "Come on! Drink with me! When was the last time you did shots?"

I looked at the tiny glass and swallowed hard. "A while. Okay, on the count of three..."

It went on like that three more times. _Damn Alice and her wicked ways. _

I was so far gone.

Alice was sitting in between the boys who were all staring at the pretty girl with purple hair named Sour Grapes. Okay, even I would admit that she was adorable while fully dressed. Even Edward seemed slightly curious about her. His eyes kept flicking up towards the flashes of purple that was her pretty hair.

And Emmett noticed.

When she came off the stage, he pulled out a twenty and flashed it at her. She grinned, swinging her hips on over to him. He waved her in close, whispering in her ear. He then turned and looked at Edward.

"What are you doing?" Edward asked right off, not giving him a chance to get too far.

"What kind of uncle would I be if I didn't buy you your first lap dance?" He smiled.

"No!" His nephew whined, frowning. "You'd be a good uncle, that's what kind of uncle you'd be."

"No, no. I bought you your first drink, and I'm going to buy you your first lap dance, my man. Here cutie," Emmett said as he passed the girl the money. "Make sure it's a good one."

"Bella, tell him no," Edward said, pointing at me. "As my girlfriend tell him I'm not allowed!"

Now, I knew what Sober Bella would have said. Sober Bella would have told Stupid Emmett to keep his damn money and to shove off. But Drunk Bella was slightly amused by the whole thing. And Drunk Bella said, "no! You have a good time, babe! I want to see this."

Everyone but Emmett's jaw dropped. He just grinned. "I knew I liked you, Bella."

Edward looked horrified, _poor thing_. His eyes were wide, and his mouth was hanging up. I knew if he wasn't in such a state himself he never would have allowed himself to be dragged off to a private room with all of us following.

"I'm going to pick the song!" Alice said in her sing-song voice again. I had determined that it was her normal voice while in her current state.

Alice picked a song with some heavy beat that I didn't know and the girl pushed Edward into the chair before straddling his waist. Her breasts were all in his face, and he was trying his best to look directly upwards.

"I thought you didn't like strip clubs," Alice mumbled in my ear.

"This is different."

Apparently, she knew how it was different because I didn't know. She nodded her head in agreement.

"And funnier."

And then I noticed she had her lips near my boyfriend's ear. He was whispering back, smiling slightly with heavily flushed cheeks. I was sure neither one of the boys noticed because they were staring at her boobs. Rosalie just sipped her club soda with quiet amusement.

I wasn't sure what to make of the whole scene, but my mind went to the whole _'he's mine'_ place. Though surprisingly I didn't say anything. It was amazing in my drunken state that I had some sort of sense.

When the song came to an end, Edward slipped something into the girl's panties. He stood up and gave me an evil smirk. I mean downright _evil. _

"Your turn, sugar," the girl with the purple hair said, pushing me down into a chair next.

Edward leaned down out of nowhere and whispered quietly, "payback, baby. Fair is fair."

"Shit," I mumbled, frowning to myself. All of my friends cheered as the music began. "Uh, hi."

"Hiya," she giggled, grinding against me. "Your boyfriend seems to be really into you..."

_Well, that's an unexpected conversation starter._ Especially from a stripper. "Yeah, we're in love. We're buying a house together," I babbled drunkenly.

"Aw! That's so sweet," she cooed. "Are you getting married?"

"Someday. This is actually my friends' party before their vow renewal. They'll be married ten years in a couple of weeks."

"That's always nice to hear. People don't stay married like they use to. I'll be married for six years in October," she said, shaking her hair loose and swaying her hips to the beat. I was concentrating more on the conversation than I was her.

"Wow, nice. Any kids?"

"One," she giggled. "She's four. She'll be starting school this year. Okay, well, there you go! Songs all over. Your torture is done."

I laughed quietly as I stood. _Well, that wasn't so bad._ I took a ten out of my pocket. "Thanks for not making me uncomfortable."

She took the money with a smile. "Thanks for letting me have a conversation that doesn't involve my boobs."

"That," Alice slurred, "was awesome! Let's go! I want to go to a voodoo shop!" She said randomly.

I would have agreed to anything if it got me out of the strip club. Edward was leading the pack to leave, holding my hand. He was practically dragging me out.

It didn't take us long to find what we were looking for. It was on Royal Street, overflowing with business still despite the time of night. I had a feeling they didn't close at all during Mardi Gras.

Alice played with every knick-knack and put on every weird hat or mask she could find as she sipped on another drink. There was no way on earth I was going to have another. I was already too far gone.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, we dragged Alice out of the store. Edward shooed me on, telling us that he would only be a moment. Ten minutes later, in which Emmett and Alice sang the entire time, Edward returned with a brown paper bag.

"What's that?" I shouted over the crowd.

"You'll see!" He assured me.

I turned in time just to see Jasper sway. Rosalie threw an arm around his waist to keep him up. "Okay, I call it a night. We need to get everyone to bed if we're going to get up and go to the parades tomorrow."

"Awwwww," Emmett and Alice said at the same time. Jasper just nodded his head.

"Come on, you two," I said, taking Alice by the arm. Edward took his uncle's. "Let's go before you throw up."

Twenty minutes later Jasper had sobered up slightly as we walked into our hotel. He was hanging onto Alice, talking to her in her ear. Whatever he was saying, she was eating it up. She giggled and flushed, touching his arm as she did so.

"Alright, we're going to bed." Edward waved as we reached our room. Alice and Jasper's were across the hall and Rosalie, and Emmett's were four doors past ours.

Rosalie and Emmett hardly even noticed us as they strolled down to their room, his hand on her ass. Edward grimaced, doing an all over fake shiver.

We opened the old fashioned lock with our key and went inside. The moment the door closed Edward pushed me against the wall.

"You are a bad, _bad_ girl, Ms. Swan."

I snorted, "I think you got me back."

"Mm, you didn't seem bothered actually. Did you like seeing someone else rubbing their naked body all over mine, huh?"

"No," I mumbled, frowning to myself.

"And why is that?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Because you're mine, dammit. I don't like when other women touch you," I told him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He pressed himself closer, his erection pressed against my stomach.

"That's right. And you're mine, dammit. So don't you forget it," he said in a forceful voice before picking me up. A moment later his lips were on mine, eagerly kissing them. They were determined and demanding as his hands gripped my ass. Lifting me up, I wrapped my legs around his waist.

We made it to the bed, and he sat down with my legs still wrapped around his body. His talented tongue traced down my neck until it met cloth. He quickly became annoyed with it and pulled my shirt off and threw it to the ground.

"I am so drunk," I complained out loud, my head falling back as he kissed the tops of my breasts. "I'm going to be horrible."

"Bella, you couldn't be horrible if you tried," he mumbled against my breast as his fingers worked on the clasp of my bra. Like a pro, he popped it open on the first try. "You forget, your pussy was made for me. It's perfect every single fucking time," he muttered in his thick accented voice.

A soft mew of pleasure fell from my lips as my head fell back, my eyes shut tightly. His mouth was on my breast, sucking and teasing it with his tongue. "Oh, Edward... _yes_... please… Fuck me..."

"Hell yeah," I heard someone high-pitched say. It certainly wasn't Edward or me though. Edward's head popped up from my breast with wide eyes. I turned just slightly to see the door open with Jasper and Alice standing there. Edward spread his fingers wide on the center of my back to push me forward against his chest. I was assuming so no one would see anything.

Jasper's mouth was hanging open, surprised. He was flushed too. Alice, on the other hand, looked stupidly drunkenly giddy. She was smiling, and her eyes were wide.

"What the hell?" Edward shouted at both of them.

"I am soooo sorry," Jasper began. "We forgot to ask you what time you wanted to meet up in the morning, and Alice decided to just barge in without knocking. I went after her, trying to stop her, but it was too late. And you guys were doing that and-"

"Dude, get out!" He shouted at the sputtering southerner. "And take your pervy wife with you."

"That was so hot!" Alice shouted as Jasper dragged her away. She giggled, "sorry, Bella. I love you, but seriously that was hot."

"Payback," Edward muttered as his mouth dipped down once again after the door shut. I pushed on his forehead, making him stop and look up at me. "What?"

_Yup, he's drunk too._

"What do you mean _'payback'_?"

"Love, do you know how many times I've walked in on them having sex? Like in the kitchen or the living room? Finally, they know how it feels. Or at least Jasper does. Alice is proving to be a voyeur _and_ an exhibitionist."

Edward put his hand on the back of my head and brought me down for a slow and very distracting kiss. I soon forgot all that happened just minutes before. He lowered his mouth again, his eyes on mine. I couldn't help it. I was just too turned on.

"Fuck me," I whimpered once again.

"With great pleasure," he said before tossing me back on the bed.

Edward and I had drank before, yes. We had drunken sex even. But we had never been anything close to what we were at that moment.

The entire night had been an interesting start to Mardi Gras but I would have been very surprised if we remembered any of it in the morning.

**The stripper thing may or may not be based off real events that happened in New Orleans. Ms. Grapes seemed like a lovely lady. **

**Someone needs to learn to lock the door. Alice is apparently a pervert and doesn't understand knocking. It's a problem. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	38. Chapter 38

**Hungover **

"Holy mother of fucking GOD!" I literally shrieked in pain as someone began to pound on my door at some ungodly hour. Yeah, ten in the morning was ungodly when you have had little sleep, lots of sex, and even more booze. "I will never drink again."

"Oh, god," Edward groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Alice, go away."

"But I have some hair of the dog!"

"You're going to have a black eye if you don't let me go back to sleep," I shouted. I heard her huff on the other side of the door, despite my massively painful hangover ringing in my ears.

"Hey! Be nice and open the door!" Jasper said. "We've got food, too. We don't want to miss the parades."

Edward threw the covers off of him with a grunt, and I noticed one pleasant little thing. Well, maybe not little. He was still nude. He saw this too and quickly threw on some pants. I found my panties and a t-shirt, Edward's in fact, before giving up and falling back onto the bed. Since the shirt went down to my knees, I wasn't bothered.

"Finally," Alice said, carrying in a pitcher of Bloody Marys. I grimaced, throwing an arm over my eyes. "Come on, it's not that bad!"

"I hate you," I mumbled, turning over onto my stomach to hide from the light. I felt Edward slide in next to me.

"Isn't it amazing how she drank more than you, and she isn't the least bit hungover?" I heard Rose's voice ask. She sounded way too perky, especially since I knew she had to be suffering from some sort of morning sickness.

"That's because she's already had three bloody Mary's," Jasper chimed in. "She's still drunk, I think. She'll be drunk for days at this rate."

"Nahhh..." Alice laughed. "Come on, guys. I've got bloody Mary's for all, except Rose. And we've got some fruit, bacon, and some toast that we found down at the breakfast buffet before it closed."

"You know, drinking water is better for you than the 'hair of the dog,'" Emmett added into the conversation. He sounded perky too, dammit. Perhaps it was because he was so big that he could hold his liquor better.

"He's had like six bottles already this morning," Rose said as I felt the bed shift beside me. "Maybe you should have some too."

"I'll compromise and have both," I said, finally giving up on the fact that they were not going to shut up or leave me alone. I flopped over, patting my already snoring boyfriend on the ass to wake him up. "If I have to be awake, so do you."

"Don't wanna," he mumbled, and I smacked him harder. "Ow, fine! I'm awake. Mean thing," he complained. "Oh, bloody Marys."

I sat up, and Alice brought both of us a tall glass of the tomato vodka stuff, sans celery, and a plate with a mix of food on it. I picked up a piece of bacon and grimaced. The idea of oil made my stomach churn. So, instead, I settled for a slice of plain toast and passed the plate to Edward. Even though he had a hangover as well, he didn't seem to be bothered by the food at all.

"So, plans for today?" I asked.

"Parade. Lunch. Parade. Dinner. Parade. Then DRINKING!" Alice said happily.

"I was with you until the drinking part," I smirked. "I'm drinking water tonight."

"Fine! Be boring!"

Emmett sat down beside Edward and started to eat as well. They fought over the last piece of bacon like a couple of children. They finally broke it in half, Emmett getting the larger piece which he shoved the entire thing in his mouth.

But, I barely noticed that. What I noticed instead was the fact that Jasper was staring at me. _Hard. _

"What?" I demanded of him.

He flushed, looking down at his lap. "Oh, nothing. Sorry."

"No, it's okay. Seriously, you can tell me," I told him gently. "Something on your mind?"

"Well... after last night... I'm just… _curious_… Sorry."

"Last night?" I asked stupidly. It took me about ten seconds to remember exactly what happened the night before. I blushed a bright red, and my hands flew up to my face. "Oh, my god. I am so sorry about that. I forgot."

"What happened?" Rosalie asked, confused.

"We walked in on them going at it," Alice snickered. "It was way hot too."

"Dude, my nephew," Emmett complained, pointing at Edward.

"Then don't listen," Rose waved him off and leaned forward as if she was waiting for the juicy details. I could tell by the look on Alice's face she was going to share. Emmett bolted up, going towards the bathroom.

"Fine, I gotta piss like a Russian Racehorse anyway," he muttered, slamming the bathroom door. Alice and Rose both giggled, and Alice sat on the bed across from Rose.

"I am right here," I complained.

"We know," Alice said, patting my knee. "But, sweetie, when you see things that sexy, you have to share. So, anyway, she was straddling him- topless. And they were attacking each other like something off of the discovery channel."

"Alice, please," Edward said, putting his empty glass on the nightstand. "Can you do that when we're not around?"

"So, what is it exactly are you curious about?" Rose asked her brother. Jasper just flushed a bright shade of red. "Oh, this is good."

"He wants to see her ta-tas!" Alice blurted out happily.

Three people in the room yelled ''Alice' at the same time. "Oh, please stop now. I'm horrified enough as it is," Jasper complained. "Yes, I am curious, but I've always been _curious_. Jesus, did I just say that out loud?" He said, covering his eyes. "Maybe I'm still drunk too."

"It's Mardi Gras, Bella. Flash Jasper. Maybe he'll give you some beads," Rose snickered. "Flash him."

"Oh, god," Alice moaned with laughter, falling on top of my legs. "That would be awesome. Do it!"

"I was kidding!" Rosalie laughed and shoved at her head. "Mostly. Look, I gotta help my brother out now and again. He's wanted to see your boobs since high school. Seriously, I think you'd be scratching something off of Jasper's list."

"I have not!" Jasper said, almost purple in the face. "Stop it!"

"Liar," three people said at once. I was not one of them.

Edward covered his eyes and took a deep breath. "Why are we talking about my girlfriend flashing my best friend?"

"Because it's funny," his aunt answered.

"And awesome," Alice added in.

And to my embarrassment the two girls began to chant _'flash him, flash him' _over and over again. Edward groaned as I looked over at Rose.

"You have no excuse!"

She shrugged.

I was never good with peer pressure or impulse control.

Maybe I was a little drunk still too because I lifted up my shirt for a good second before dropping it back down. The two girls cheered, Edward laughed despite himself and brought a blanket up to cover my body, and Jasper's eyes almost popped out of his head.

"What the hell is going on in here?" Emmett demanded as he came back from the bathroom. "You guys are loud."

"Bella flashed her _ta-tas _at Jasper," Rosalie laughed.

"Dammit, I always miss the good stuff."

"Alright, we need to get ready," Edward said as he stood up when his uncle complaining at not getting to see my chest. He handed Alice her half pitcher of bloody Marys. "We need to get dressed, and Bella needs to put on a bra." He walked up to Jasper and patted him on the shoulder. "Stop staring at my girlfriend's breasts. I can't stare at Alice's. It's only fair."

"You can stare at mine if you want!" She laughed. Rosalie rolled her eyes as she stood, grabbing Alice by the arm.

"I think he means yours are so small that he can't. Go take a shower, alky. We've had our fun now. Let's let them get ready." She then grabbed Emmett by the elbow. "You, too."

"I always miss all the fun," Emmett complained as he walked off with his wife. Jasper was still standing there, looking bewildered.

"You didn't have to do that," he finally said, shaking his head.

I finally got out of bed and walked over to him. "Hey, this trip is all about making dreams come true. Who am I to deny you?"

He laughed and wrapped an arm around my waist as he gave me a one-sided hug. "Thanks, baby."

"You're thanking my girlfriend for showing you her tits," Edward huffed playfully. "There is something wrong with this picture."

"It was just a friendly boob showing. Not like I touched them," Jasper pouted. I laughed, hugging him back.

"Go before you get in trouble."

"With who? Alice or Edward?"

"Both," I snickered.

When the door closed behind Jasper, I felt two strong arms wrap around my waist. "I never, ever, know what you're going to do next. You are so unpredictable."

"You're not mad at me, are you?" I asked, pouting out my bottom lip.

"No," he laughed. "I can't believe you did that, but no. I'm not mad. With breasts like those, I suppose you should share them with the world."

I turned in his arms and smacked his chest. He threw his head back, laughing. "Edward!"

"I'm sorry," he snickered, leaning his forehead against mine. "I can't believe you did that."

"I can't either," I agreed with a soft sigh. "I can't believe a lot of the things I did last night. Sorry about the stripper."

"Same here," he smirked. "Seemed like you two had a nice conversation though."

"We did," I said, running my hands over his arms. "I wonder if there is anything I'm not remembering from last night..."

"Oh! That reminds me," he said, pulling away from me and going to his jeans that he wore the day before. They were on the floor, and he searched through his pockets before finding a plain paper bag. "I think we'll both need this today."

He pulled out a little purple pouch. "What is that?"

"A gris-gris bag. It's supposed to be good luck. I know you're worried about the house and I figured a little extra help wouldn't hurt," he said, placing it into my palm. "I think we'll probably need it in general for the rest of the trip."

"Well, I'm not going to drink anymore so that should help my luck greatly," I muttered, making Edward laugh quietly. "Come on, let's get ready."

The parade we went to was at straight up noon and was pretty much for the kids. It was a lot of fun though. I got a lot of impressive throws, including a cute handmade teddy bear. We had lunch after that just from a vendor on the street. It was fried food, and honestly, it didn't help my stomach in the least.

We were waiting for the next parade when Edward's phone rang. "Hello? Yes, this is him. Oh? Hello, yes, sir."

"Who is he talking to?" Alice asked from beside me. I just shrugged.

"Really? Wow! Okay! That is fantastic news. No, thank you. Well, right now we're out of town, but we'll be able to come in on Friday morning to sign the papers if that works for you. That's great! Okay. Yes, sir. Thanks!"

As soon as he hung up the phone, a huge smile came across his face. "We got it."

"What?" I asked, coming closer to him.

"We got it! We got the house!" He said, grabbing my waist and kissing me forcefully. It took a full minute for what he said to sink in.

_We got the house._ Edward and I were going to live together in our own home. A home where we were going to raise children perhaps.

I nearly fainted. Thankfully Edward's arms were around my waist and held me in place as his lips moved artfully against mine.

The rest of the day was a blur after that. By the time we came back to the hotel, we each had a garbage bag full of stuff from the parades. I wasn't exactly sure how we were going to bring them all home, but I knew by the way that Alice was wearing them that she wasn't going to give up her booty easily.

So we sat on the floor like a bunch of little kids on Halloween, sorting our loot to look for the best ones. We kept all the cups and all the unique throws like my teddy bear and blinky necklaces. When we were all done, we had a massive pile of things that we were going to donate back to the krewes before we left New Orleans.

"What the hell is a Moon Pie?" Edward asked, picking up the cookie package. His accent was totally English, not a trace of the southern that normally mingled in it. I laughed, taking it from him.

"Something neither one of us needs."

"Nothing is better than an RC Cola and a Moon Pie," Emmett said in the thickest accent possible. Jasper laughed, nodding his head.

Alice, after all the excitement of her prize sorting and all of her drinking, was asleep on the floor with her head on Jasper's lap. Rosalie was dozing off against Emmett as well.

"I think we wore them out," Jasper said, running his hand over his wife's wild hair. "We should get some sleep. What time do you want to meet up tomorrow?"

"Elevenish," Edward said. "We all need our sleep after yesterday and today. My feet are killing me."

"Zoo, ferry, aquarium, lunch, and then we walk the Quarter for pralines."

"Jasper, you are a wild man, my friend," I teased him.

"Ain't I though?" He teased. "Goodnight, y'all."

"What a day," my boyfriend said when we were alone. He pulled me to my feet off the floor and led me over to the bed. "How are you?"

"Exhausted."

"But happy?" He gave me a small smile, touching my cheek.

"Very," I said, leaning into his palm. I placed both of my hands on his and pressed it against my face. "Tell me what you're thinking about."

"I'm thinking, one... that I'm the luckiest man in the world to have such a good life. I've got a good woman and fun friends. I've got a good family. Everything in my life is coming together."

"And two?"

"That I need some aspirin and a soak in the bathtub. I hurt all over," he chuckled. "Want to join me?"

"Sounds good to me," I said, kicking off my shoes and pulling off my socks. Edward helped me undress the rest of the way before starting the bathtub in the bathroom. I sat between his legs as we took turns washing each other.

It was the perfect end to an eventful day.

"Mother of God," Alice squinted into the sun the following day. Her hangover finally caught up to her. And as if it saved up the pain, she was really suffering as we walked through the zoo. "Must they make it so bright out here?"

"At least it's not hot too," Rosalie told her. "Louisiana March is just about perfect if it's not raining."

The zoo was okay, not as big as the one in London but it still had some very beautiful animals. I knew it had suffered some after Katrina. I felt terrible for the animals that got left behind in the hurricane. Luckily, if I remembered what I heard from the news, they didn't lose very many, if any.

I had to admit, I liked the forty-five-minute ferry ride a lot more. It was on an old-fashioned paddle boat called the Natchez. I stood on the deck with Edward's arms around me, watching the Mississippi River.

"It's amazing how muddy waters can be beautiful," I said almost wistfully.

"I think so too," he said in agreement, kissing my neck lightly. "New Orleans is one of those places I wouldn't mind staying a while. There is so much to see and a couple of days isn't nearly enough."

"We'll have to come back on vacation."

"Sounds good to me," he smiled against my skin. I turned in his grip and wrapped my arms around his neck. We began to kiss, blocking out the entire world.

If I hadn't, I probably would have noticed the massive supertanker that was coming alongside the boat. It certainly caught my attention though when it blew it's horn. I squealed, jumping out of my skin. Edward laughed, rubbing my back gently.

"Wow, those things are huge," he commented once I got back control of myself. At that moment I could see the preteen boy lurking behind his eyes, thinking about how awesome it would be to 'play' with one of those things.

And the image of a little red-haired boy with brown eyes popped into my mind. It was almost shocking how clear the vision was of our offspring. Freckles, possibly glasses, with wild hair like his father and brown eyes framed in thick lashes like his mother. Tall and smiling with a tiny gap between his teeth like I had. Perhaps he would have braces just like I did when I was a teenager.

"What are you thinking about?" Edward asked quietly into my ear. I flushed, shaking my head as I looked down shyly. I knew he was going to press for more information, but the boat docked, and we were joined by the rest of the gang from the inside of the ship. Both Rosalie and Alice had decided to use their time for a nap, and the men decided they wanted to have a beer.

Now, the zoo was decent, but the aquarium was awesome. We wandered through it for about an hour before we went to get some lunch in the food court. We decided out of our choices that we wanted Burger King. Edward and I each got a salad and shared half of a double whopper. And then after that, we had some ice cream.

Who could turn down Haagen Daz?

After that, we decided to go through exhibits some more. I loved the two giant otters and probably could have watched them all day. Edward liked the sharks, as did Alice.

Rosalie liked the gift shop. So far on the trip, she had bought six different little gifts for Bridget from six different places. Plus she had all the beads she could be possibly ever want to play with.

That little girl was going to be very spoiled when her mama got home. Though, if I knew anything about Esme's family who was watching her... well, she was already being spoiled.

Once we were done with the fish, we decided to walk through the Quarter. It was a ton quieter than it was the day before on Mardi Gras, something I was grateful for.

About thirty minutes into our walk we came across something that made even the hungover Alice chipper again. The Blue Dog Art gallery. She squealed loudly, a shrill and overly giddy sound, and took Jasper by the hand as she dragged him inside.

I had to admit, I liked the paintings. They were bright and beautiful, and there was just something about the dogs that seemed to be in all of their pictures.

We weren't there five minutes before Alice went, "I'd like to purchase this one."

She pointed to one with the blue dog off slightly to one side sitting in a swirl of pinks. Of course, the painting was called 'Pink Floyd.' It was very Alice.

Which meant I knew better than to look at the price. I was sure it was outrageous.

It took far less money to make Jasper happy. Well, perhaps it did. He bought a pound of pralines at every single store that made them. And different kinds too. Different nuts. Some were chocolate. He said that he wanted to 'analyze' them so he could figure out what route he wanted to take. And that he wanted them for inspiration.

I was just happy with the free samples most of them gave out.

After that, we went back to the hotel to drop off our purchases. The painting was being shipped to Dallas, so Alice didn't have to worry about carrying it around. We all freshened up before going out to dinner.

I decided to wear the one dress I brought with me and a pair of ballet flats. We went to a beautiful 'Creole Italian' restaurant called Bacco. It was amazingly romantic, and I wouldn't have minded being alone with Edward there.

Perhaps when we returned on our vacation.

It was starting to get dark when we came out, all the party goers coming out once more. None of us wanted to truly deal with the 'younger' crowd again.

"What should we do then?" Jasper asked.

"Let's go to the casino," Edward suggested with a small and almost evil grin. I couldn't imagine what he had planned.

The casino we went to, Harrah's, was much larger than the ones we went to in Shreveport. It was also land-based. It was a bit mind blowing actually. My boyfriend took my hand and led me directly to the blackjack tables.

"I don't think this is a good idea," I complained as I sat beside him. He smirked as he pulled out a hundred dollar bill from his wallet. It was a five dollar table, and he split up the chips between us. "Edward..."

"Come on! Play with me, baby," he said smoothly.

Something about his words made a tingle shoot down my spine. "Fine. I apologize if I lose all your money."

The first hand I got a fifteen and Edward got a blackjack. Next time I got a fourteen and Edward got... another blackjack. Each time, I busted, and each time he came out ahead.

"You have foul luck," he chuckled as the dealer took away my twenty-two and slid Edward his winnings. He started out with an eleven and doubled down. He got a twenty and won. "But, I think you bring me good luck."

After I lost the fifth hand in a row, I slid the rest of my chips over to Edward and stood from my chair so someone else can play. "Then why don't I just stand here and be your good luck charm?"

He wrapped his arm around my waist as he placed ten dollars down. As they dealt his cards, I leaned in and kissed his cheek softly.

It was yet another blackjack. Who had that kind of luck?

"Hm, yes. I think you'll stay right here," he said, squeezing my waist as he brought me closer to his side, "for the rest of the night."

As if there was another place I would rather be.

He walked away from that blackjack table with five hundred more dollars than what he came with.

**Bella has impulse control issues while inebriated, clearly lol and Rosalie and Alice are troublemakers. But, if she didn't she wouldn't have made out with Edward within two seconds of meeting him. **

**Thanks for reading! **


	39. Chapter 39

**April Fool's Day**

The rest of the short trip ended with very little fan fair. We ate beignets and drank coffee as we walked by the giant Mississippi river. We had fun. We laughed. We ate aspirin like it was candy.

Thursday came, and we took the short flight home. Despite being tired, Edward was too keyed up to sleep. We went in at eight in the morning to sign all the paperwork on the house. He was so excited. Then he worked the rest of the night and came home to simply collapse. He fell asleep on the couch, and I didn't have the heart to wake him. I simply covered him in a blanket.

Over the next couple of weeks, Edward and Emmett moved all of my boyfriend's stuff into my home, but mostly into a storage place not too far from our new house. We decided that we would save buying new things, or even thinking about looking for them, until after we moved in.

I had no idea how we were going to arrange things, his furniture, and mine. I wasn't exactly sure how we would mix our lives together. I had been alone for so long in my own little apartment that I just wasn't... _sure_. I don't know how else to describe it.

I felt a tension growing in my belly, a nervousness I couldn't put my finger on. It had all been going so well. Life had been so wonderful. It was like I had a feeling that I had come to my limit. Maybe that the universe had given me so much that perhaps it was too much and she would come to take it all back.

I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, I just wasn't sure what it was. Or what was going to make it drop.

Edward just told me I was nervous about the wedding. He tried to comfort me that being in front of those people wouldn't be that horrible. He assured me that I was a whole different woman from what I was a year previously, strong and beautiful.

I let him distract me with his comforting hands, but I knew that wasn't it. Or perhaps it was. Hell if I knew.

It was one of the few times that I wished I was in therapy. Perhaps I could have talked it out then and figured it out.

My luck wasn't that good. My entire life proved that most of the time. And at that time I felt like I was living in a dream. And it felt as if I was waiting to wake up, and it was almost painful.

That was exactly what I was thinking about when the stylist was working on me on the morning of April first. Alice was getting a manicure and a pedicure while they did my hair and makeup. Then we would switch. I just kept my eyes closed and moved the way the tiny little girl with the mascara wand told me to.

"Stop frowning. This is a wedding. Be happy," she said with a huff. "Smile at least so I can do the bronzer right."

"What's up, Bella?" Alice asked. She had been unusually quiet the entire morning herself, but I think hers was just nervousness as well. To her, it was like she was getting married for the first time. Like this was her real wedding.

"Nervous," I lied, sort of. I was nervous about tripping and busting my face, but that wasn't making me frown.

"Don't be," she sighed. "Leave that feeling to me. I've got that one covered. Try confident on for a while. One of us has to be."

"You're the most confident person I know," I snorted. "If you're not right now, we're doomed."

"Geez, thanks for being uplifting. I need something to drink." I gave her a stern look. She made me promise that I wouldn't allow her to get drunk until the reception. "Just one!"

"I want one, too."

She waved her hand, saying that she heard me before she crept into the hallway. I don't know who she conned in the hall, but she returned soon after with two glasses. "Here you go, princess."

I downed it in one gulp. "Thanks," I said weakly as I changed positions with her. It was her turn to do the makeup part. "So, how many people are coming to this thing anyway?"

"Three hundred RSVPed. I don't know half of them. My mom and dad invited everyone they know. So did Jasper's parents. I hate to say this, and I know it'll be a first, but I think that this thing got out of hand."

"You think?" I snorted. "There is no doubt."

"I think it's my mother's punishment for eloping to Vegas the first time," she sighed.

"Probably," I agreed. "My mother will have nothing to do with my wedding. She'll just show up."

"You've got one hour," I heard Rose shout from the other side of the door. She was busy getting the flower girl, Bridget, and the ring bearer, Tanya, ready in another room. "The guys just got here, and they're going to mingle with the guests."

"Thanks," Alice shouted before she sighed. "Almost show time."

I walked down the aisle holding the bunch of white lilies Alice had picked out for me. They were simple and beautiful, as was my purple jewel-toned dress. Bridget had already run down the red carpet, throwing different colored petals everywhere. Tanya had gone next, holding a pillow with the rings. She was standing to the side where the girls would be, waiting to be needed.

Jasper appeared as if he was going to be sick.

Edward looked like he was bursting at the seams with joy. His eyes lit up when he saw me, and he stood a little bit straighter. When I came to the spot in which I would stand, he mouthed the words, _'I love you'_ over his best friend's head. I just smiled in return, nodding my head once to show that I felt the same way.

I wasn't exactly sure how Alice moved in her massive dress. There was a long train trailing behind, the dress rustling loudly with every step. It wasn't my style, but it was utterly Alice.

I had never seen so many people in one place at one time. I felt the heat flow to my face and down my neck as I swayed a little bit. Tanya was right behind me, pushing me back into place.

"Alice would kill you if you threw up right now," she snickered in my ear.

"I wouldn't blame her," I whispered back. "I can see why she eloped for the first time."

"I want a huge wedding. Bigger than this," she answered back as Alice got closer.

"I hope you don't mind if I sit in the pews then," I told her with a wink.

I heard Edward clear his throat and I looked over at him. He mouthed the words _'you okay?'._ I smiled and nodded at him, fanning my face to show I was just hot.

Finally, Alice reached her now beaming husband and took his hand. Everything moved a lot faster after that.

After the ceremony, we took pictures while everyone else headed to the reception hall. We stood a million different ways, trying to get the right shots. It felt like it was never going to be over.

Edward stood behind me, his arm around my waist, as we posed for the shot of the Maid of Honor and Best Man.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered warmly in my ear. I turned slightly to look into his eyes, the camera flashing at that exact moment. He gave me a soft smile, and I decided the camera be damned. I leaned forward and kissed him firmly.

I think the camera flashed a dozen more times during that kiss. I could have cared less.

We rode to the reception in a limo. It was being held at a huge hotel, and Alice had gotten us, her and Jasper and Edward and myself, a room for the night. It was nice that I didn't have to worry about the amount of champagne that I consumed.

Edward and I came into the hall first, the DJ announcing our names as the Best Man and Maid of Honor before announcing the bride and groom. Everyone cheered, the sound echoing throughout the entire hall.

It was crazy.

We ate, and Edward and I each gave a toast to honor our best friends before they sliced up the cake. Alice took a bite and then Jasper delicately ate it off of her fingers. They looked at each other with such love and affection. It was so beautiful.

And then the dancing began. Edward and I came out onto the floor, as did the happy couple, to start the first dance.

"I can't wait until we're doing this," he whispered in my ear, and I could feel his smile against his cheek. "You in a white dress. Me smiling at you like a fool, like Jasper right now. Though, I guess that's my normal expression when I'm with you."

"Edward," I gave a soft sigh, leaning my head on his shoulder.

"What's bothering you, my love?" He asked gently. I just shrugged, unable to put my finger on it.

The DJ invited the rest of the crowd to join in as a new song came on. I clutched tighter to Edward, my safe spot. I knew if I kept clinging to him that the bad feeling would eventually fade away.

But suddenly there was a voice in my ear. "Hey, can I cut in?"

The voice was so familiar that my head whipped around, nearly knocking my forehead into Jacob's. He was leaning down, a broad smile on his face.

"H-hey-y-y..." I stuttered.

"How you doin', Bells?" He asked. Edward stood there, just frowning and looking too confused for his own good.

"What are you doing here?" I asked instead.

"My wife works with the bride's mother. Sorry, I'm being rude. I'm Jacob Black," he said, reaching his hand over to Edward. "You're the Best Man, right?"

"Right," Edward said in a sour tone I had never heard before. I wasn't entirely sure, but I think he was jealous. He had to know he had no reason to be. He glanced over at me, a questioning look in his eyes.

"Edward, why don't you go check with Jasper to see when we need to do the thing with the garter belt and the flowers."

"Okay," he said slowly. He gave one more brief look at Jake before walking off into the crowd.

Jake brought me into his large arms, and we slowly began to sway to the music. "It's been so long since I've seen you, Bells. You look amazing."

"Thanks. I've lost some weight." I shrugged. "So, where is Mrs. Black at?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"She's at our table. She wanted to give us some time to talk before she came over." He shrugged in return. "You know, I miss you."

"Yeah, okay," I snorted, rolling my eyes.

"God, you were always so self-deprecating. I do. You were my best friend for so long. It's weird not having you in my life anymore," Jacob said with a soft sigh. "You know, just because we didn't work out doesn't mean we can't be friends."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," I shrugged again. I felt so uncomfortable I didn't know what else to do.

"So, who is Mr. Friendly?" Jake asked, changing the subject. "A friend of yours?"

"Boyfriend."

"Explains why he hates me," he chuckled.

"He doesn't hate you," I said quickly. "I don't know what that was about. I've never seen him act like before."

"He's probably worried that I've come over here because I realized what I'm missing and that I'm going to try to steal you away-"

"Jake-" I interrupted, but he shook his head.

"Well, he's got part of that right. I do realize that I miss you. The you _you_ were when we were kids if that makes sense. I want to be friends again if you're willing. I mean, I can understand if you don't feel comfortable with that. But I do hope that I didn't do anything when we broke up to make you hate me..."

"Jake, you didn't. Honestly, most guys could take a cue from you. You have no idea how much I respect you for being honest with me," I said, stepping back from him so I could look into his large brown eyes. "I don't think I ever thanked you for that."

"Don't hear that often," he chuckled. "Here," he said, pulling a card out of his wallet. "This is my email and phone. I'd love to know what's going on with you these days. Ness and I will come over before we leave to say hi." Jacob leaned in and pressed a kiss into my cheek. "It's so good to see you again, Bells. And looking so beautiful, too. I wasn't even sure it was you or not."

"Have I changed that much?" I asked him in surprise, my cheeks coloring.

"Well, let's just say that Edward is a lucky man and leave it at that."

I flushed brighter, smiling down at the ground. "Thanks."

"Well, I better get another piece of chocolate cake before it's all gone. Ness is six months pregnant, and she cannot get enough chocolate. I don't want this to get ugly if she doesn't get another piece," he chuckled his warm laugh before bringing my hand up to his mouth for a kiss. "Seriously, call me. We can hang out and talk."

"Alright," I spoke softly. I was pretty sure he didn't hear me as he walked away back to his wife.

Well, I wasn't sure what to make of all of that.

The room was loud, buzzing with too much activity, which didn't help my forming headache. I looked over the crowd to see if I could find Edward but either I was too short or he simply wasn't in the room. I decided if I couldn't have him holding me that I would use the time to find a quiet place to gather my thoughts.

I went to Alice. "Hey, when are we finishing up here?"

She grabbed her husband's arm, looking at his watch. He barely noticed as he talked to an older couple. "Not for another hour. Why?"

"I'm going to go up to the room and freshen up."

"Got the key card?" She asked. I pulled it out of its hiding spot in my bra. She just smirked. "Alright, don't be late. I need you."

"I'll be here," I assured her. "I'll just be a few minutes."

The room I was in was on the tenth floor, which was almost the very top. It was one of the nicer suites, though not the nicest. I knew Alice had that one. It was easy enough to find since there were only four rooms on the floor. Ours was on the eastern corner.

I made my way inside easily, using my key to open the door. It slid into the slot, and the light flashed green on the first try. I pushed my way inside, expecting to be alone.

I was not.

Edward was laid across the bed with his hands on his face.

"Hey," I said in surprise, instantly worried. "You okay?"

"Yeah," he said shortly, sitting up with a huff. He ran a rough hand through his hair, blinking slowly to make his eyes adjust to the light. "What are you doing up here?"

"I needed some air. That room was far too crowded."

"Tell me about it," he mumbled.

"Edward, what's wrong?" I pushed, walking over to him. But before I could touch him and he stood up and walked over to the window. The sun was high in the sky, almost out of view from where we were. It was still blinding bright, though there was a dark cloud on the horizon. It was threatening rain once again. That wasn't surprising though. I just hoped no nasty weather came from it. It was, after all, our season for tornadoes. It was the last thing anyone needed.

"Nothing," he said quickly.

"You're lying to me."

He lifted his chin up, his lips in a straight line. "No, I'm not."

"Is this about Jake? I didn't know he was going to be here. He didn't know either."

"You didn't have to dance with him," Edward said quietly. It took me a moment to understand the words he said it so softly.

"He was a good friend of mine for a very long time. We just talked," I said with a sigh as I sat down on the bed. "I'd much rather dance with you."

"Hm," was how he answered.

"His wife was there," I added in. "She's pregnant with their second child. He wanted us to come by and say hello before the evening was over. He wanted us to be friends again."

"What did you say to that?" He asked into the window.

"I'm not sure I really said anything," I told him truthfully. "He gave me his card and told me to call so we could hang out. I didn't really agree or disagree."

"Are you going to?"

"Only if you're by my side the entire time."

"I trust you, Bella," he said with a sigh.

"I know," I said as I stood. "Is this not about Jacob then? What's bothering you?"

"I'm not sure," he said in a low tone as he pressed his forehead into the glass. "You've been so... antsy lately. I've wondered if you've changed your mind."

"Changed my mind about what?"

"Everything."

"Edward," I sighed. "I'm just nervous is all. I haven't changed my mind about anything."

"What is there to be nervous about?" He asked as he finally turned to look at me.

"A lot of things. If it's going to work out. How life is going to be now that we're living together. If we can handle the stress of it all."

"Don't you love me though?" He asked as if it fixed everything. Edward seemed so young at the moment, younger than I had ever seen him before. His eyes were large and green, pleading with me to say that love is all we need, like a Beatles song or something.

"How could you ask me a question like that?" I asked, pained. "Of course I do. But love has nothing to do with this part. We've stayed together only a full week at one time. And that was out of town. It takes time to get used to other people's habits. What if we can't?"

"Before yesterday I practically lived with you anyway," Edward said with a sigh.

"But not while I was working. Or when you were practicing. We'll need time to adjust. I know the whole house thing seems so romantic to you, but it's going to be so much work."

He huffed, crossing his arms as he looked out the window again. "You act as if it's going to be painful."

"Please don't be this way," I said quietly. "It's nothing against you. It's more against me, really. I'm worried that I'm too old and set in my ways."

"Bella, why haven't we talked about marriage more?" He blurted out. He didn't look at me as he did so.

"We have."

"Not very much."

How was I supposed to respond to him? We had talked about it. Not on a grand scale though. There was no engagement ring on my finger, and I was glad about that for the time being. I was still working on some things. I was still working on me. I was almost there. Almost, just not yet.

"Edward, we will both know when we're ready for that. I know you are. And as worried as I am about the house, it is a step in the right direction. Just give me a little more time to get used to that, get used to living with you. And then we'll talk about it," I begged him, touching his shoulders as I walked behind him. "Just give me a little while."

"Do you want to marry me?" He asked quietly.

"Yes," I told him truthfully. "But I'm not ready to be engaged."

"What's the difference if you already know?"

"The difference is me," I tried to explain, but I was sure I was doing a horrible job of it. I wrapped my arms around his waist and began to speak against his neck. "Edward, we haven't even been together a full year. Be patient."

"I don't want to be. I want you."

"You have me," I told him.

"All of you."

"You have me," I said again. "I promise. Let's get settled into the house before we start talking about marriage, please? I know that will be hard for you, but I want to have everything in place before we're tossed into craziness again. It's been a wild year for me. I need things to settle for a while. I'm just asking for a little time."

This was the other shoe. And as soon as the words fell from lips, I felt a little better. I knew Edward was inching closer and closer to proposing to me, and I wasn't ready. I dreaded asking for more time, but as soon as I did, I felt better.

"Time?" He asked as he turned slowly in my arms, his wrapping around my waist slowly. "How much time?"

"No more than three months, I promise. I just want to make sure everything is unpacked and in place." I bit my bottom lip as I looked into his dark swirling green eyes. "Please?"

"As soon as the last box is unpacked, we're going to talk about it." He smirked at me. "I mean, really talk about it."

"Yes, sir," I smiled. "We'll stay up all night and talk about it if you want. I'll even make pancakes in the morning."

He groaned, "I'll make the pancakes. I want to survive."

I gasped, and he chuckled before pulling me in for a slow and steamy kiss. His fingers wrapped gently around the back of my neck, pulling me even closer to him.

As soon as his tongue slid past his lips to seek mine, his cell phone began to ring. I knew automatically who it was. Alice.

"Yes?" He answered. He rolled his eyes. "Yes, I realize that. No, she's with me. Stop freaking out. We still have twenty minutes. Ugh, fine, woman. We'll be down in a minute. God, yes. We are decent. Okay. Fine. BYE ALICE!" He all but shouted into the phone as he snapped it shut.

"We're being summoned?" I guessed with a raised eyebrow.

"Her royal pain in the ass is calling us. Apparently, it's time to throw some flowers and a garter."

"Let's get that over with then come back here," I suggested. Edward gave me a wicked smile.

"Sounds good to me."

I didn't catch the flowers. Like I could catch anything at all. I was too clumsy. Instead, out of the enormous group of woman that grabbed for it, Tanya caught it with a triumphant whoop. She jumped in place, squeaking her teenager squeal of joy.

Edward caught the garter easily in one hand. I'm not really sure any of the other single guys were really trying though. It was kind of funny.

The photographer took their picture together, a serious one that was very sweet and a silly one where Edward was pretending to kiss her. Tanya looked grossed out, her eyes wide and one side of her mouth was curled up in mock disgust.

I wanted a copy of both pictures for the house, along with the ones with Edward and myself.

When they were done with the pictures, Edward gave the garter to Bridget. She then promptly put it on her head and started running around pretending she was an 'Indian'.

It was very cute.

I waved goodbye from afar to Jacob as I saw him leave with his waddling wife. I wasn't exactly ready to talk to him again, and I wasn't sure if I ever would be.

Another thing that would wait for the dust to settle, so to speak.

After the bride and groom left to go to their room in their hail storm of bubbles, so did Edward and I. I felt a lot lighter than I did at the beginning of the day with my hand in his.

I knew all I needed was to be close to him. If I could have that, I could handle anything that life threw at me.

**Thanks for reading! **


	40. Chapter 40

**A trip to the beach**

As the Realtor had said they would be, they were out of the house by the very first of May. It took us almost the entire month of May just to slowly move all our stuff into the house. Move it in, not unpack it.

It took so long because both Edward and I were working so hard. May and June were some of his busiest months because of weddings. Apparently, everyone wanted to get married then, and they all wanted Edward to play at their wedding. He was working six days a week, and you could tell it was wearing on him. I, on the other hand, was getting caught up with the time I had lost while we were getting set up. I was trying to get things settled to a good point. I hoped I could accomplish that for both of us.

It was June first when we moved the last box in, going around my old apartment to make sure I didn't forget anything. Edward wrapped his arms around me as we stood in the empty living room, giving me a moment to process it all.

"Wow," I said quietly.

"We have a lot of fond memories here," he said softly, squeezing my waist. "Especially over the last month or so," he whispered against my skin as he bent down to kiss my neck.

He was right though. The last month of us living together had been great. Though I was worried that perhaps it was a honeymoon period, it was hard not to get lost in all the wonderful little things. Like falling asleep and waking up in Edward's arms every single day.

To wake up to a smile and a kiss. Now, that was amazing.

And every single morning we would make breakfast together and eat at my little table before going off for our day. I worried that the closeness might hurt something. That we would get sick of each other, but it hadn't happened yet.

The only thing we had remotely fought about was rearranging the money. Since the house was so much cheaper than we initially imagined it to be, Edward was not comfortable merely paying for that. We finally got it boiled down to he would pay the house and the food, and I would pay for everything else. It was a compromise we were both happy with. I wasn't exactly sure how we would work out going out to eat yet, because we hadn't exactly done it much in the last little while, but I guess we would figure it out.

We would have a lot of things to work on. I was good with that.

We slept in the house for the first time that night, surrounded by boxes, and completely exhausted. Not from the meager amount of moving we did that day, but because of the massive amount of sex that we had. Over a five hour period, we had sex six times. On the kitchen island, against the wall of what would be his music room, on the window seat bench in my new office, in the living room on the couch while we waited for the pizza to finish cooking, in the shower while we actually trying to clean up, and finally in bed.

Apparently, the new house smell was like Viagra to my boyfriend. At around two in the morning, I felt his restless hands drag over my hips before slowly making their way to the apex of my thighs.

"No sir," I mumbled. "The kitchen is closed."

He warmly kissed my neck as he chuckled, "we've lived together in our own home a grand total of less than twenty-four hours, and you're already denying me?"

"Damn straight," I answered with a yawn. "One of us has to be responsible and make sure we get some sleep."

"I am responsible. Very. And, I know exactly what I'm responsible for right now," he said suggestively into my ear. It was too much of an opening, and I had to know what cheesy thing he was going to say. I loved him dearly, but sometimes he was just a cheesy horn ball.

"Oh, and what are you responsible for precisely?"

"Your orgasm," he said, slipping one of his hands under my panties and between my thighs.

I groaned loudly, throwing my head back as his fingers toured my sensitive flesh. I removed his hand quickly and rolled over to see his _'I'm an innocent, angelic angel'_ face. It didn't go along very well with his _'I'm going to get nookie'_ smile and his _'yay, she's not wearing a shirt'_ eyes.

"Tomorrow, you owe me a massage," I said as I attacked his mouth. He chuckled and nodded.

"I'll book you a bloody fucking spa day. You deserve it, love," he said, his accent thick with the pleasure of my wandering hands.

Yeah, he was cheesy, but it usually worked on me.

I straddled his waist as I leaned down to kiss him. With the simple movements of his hands, my panties were pushed to the side, and he was straining to go inside of me. "I'm holding you to that," I said as I slid down on him slowly. "I'm not twenty-five anymore, and I can't handle all this abuse," I teased him.

"Abuse?" He said in a soft growl as his fingers gripped my hips. "I'll show you abuse, baby."

One second I was upright and the next I was on my back, being pounded into. There wasn't much talking after that. Except for the occasional _'yes_,' _'oh, god_,' '_fuck_,' and my favorite _'I'm cumming!_'.

Afterward, despite being utterly worn out, we were too keyed up to sleep. I laid in his arms, completely nude, breathing in his deep sweaty scent.

"What are you doing this Saturday?" I asked randomly, dragging my fingers over his chest.

"Well, I was supposed to work this huge wedding. It was going to be from two to seven, but they canceled."

"Oh! You didn't tell me that!"

"Oh, sorry." He smiled at me slightly. "It just happened yesterday, and we've been so busy. Since it was such a huge thing, I didn't plan anything else. So, I'm free. Why?"

"Well, Charlie retires in a couple of days, Friday, and he's got his boat now. I know he wants to celebrate. I was thinking that maybe we can see if he wants to go to the lake and barbecue. We could bring Bridget along and give Emmett and Rose a break."

Rose was so tired. And so big already. She was inching slowly closer and closer to her due date. It was a girl, and Emmett was over the moon. Apparently, Emmett liked being surrounded by women. I pitied him once they all reached the whole 'PMS' stage.

"I bet they'd love that," Edward agreed. "Want to invite Tanya as well? She's been itching to see you."

"That sounds nice," I agreed. "I'll invite her and Alice to help me look for a bathing suit."

"Mm," he said slowly, moving his hand over my breast. "Are we crossing something else off the list?"

I knew instantly what he was asking about. He knew the list almost as well as Alice did. "Yes. Two things actually. Sunbathing too. I figure it was as good a time as any."

"You're almost done with it," he said thoughtfully. "Maybe once we get everything unpacked and arranged we should throw a housewarming party so you can mark that off too. I can help you make a cake."

"Maybe. Let's see how long it takes us to do that," I teased him. "I'm hoping some of that stuff magically unpacks itself. Who knew two single people could acquire so much junk?"

"Speak for yourself." He tickled my side. "My stuff is not junk."

I raised my eyebrow in a challenging way. He took that as an invitation to attack me, his light fingers tickling my sides before flowing effortlessly into sensual touches.

Yeah, we ended up having sex again. Before we finally went to sleep, I told him seriously that he better set up the massage appointment in the morning. I was going to need it.

Alice met me at the spa, extremely excited. "So, what are we getting done?"

"Massage, facial, and a complete waxing."

"A complete waxing? Really? Why?" She asked, shocked.

"Well, because after this I'm going to go buy my first bikini and I want to be smooth when I wear it on Saturday. By the way, we're going to meet up with Tanya for lunch before going shopping, if that's good with you."

"Sounds great! I haven't been able to see her since the wedding! So, where are we going shopping for this bikini at?" She said, rubbing her hands together in that wicked shopaholic sort of way.

"Target?!" She whined as we all entered the store a few hours later. We met up at a diner to eat lunch with Tanya. She decided not to work that summer after all so she had a lot of time on her hands. She was more than excited to accept the invitation to go to the beach. My father loved the idea, and he told me to invite everyone that I wanted. I told Tanya to bring a friend. She was psyched.

"Why can't we go somewhere nicer?" Alice complained, bringing my thoughts back to her.

"Because I'm going to wear this maybe once or twice. I'm not going to spend a bunch on it."

"Besides, I like Target," Tanya said before sticking her tongue out at Alice. "They've got cute clothes."

"Fine, fine," Alice muttered. "Let's see, you're going to need some sunscreen because we don't want to fry your ass in the sun, a big beach towel, some sunglasses to protect your eyes, some sandals, a cover-up and a bathing suit, along with a backup."

"A backup?" I frowned.

"You're going to the beach with a kid and Edward. A back up would be wise," Tanya agreed. "Oh, and you'll want a beach bag! Oh! We should get some beach toys for Bridget to surprise her."

I had way more fun looking through the toys than I should have. I spent a good fifty dollars on just toys, nothing else. After that, Alice finally dragged me off to the bathing suits. I was somewhat dreading trying them on.

On the outside, I was getting to the point where I was nice and thin. On the inside, I was still an insecure fat girl. She didn't get along well with a two piece.

So, I tried to get away with trying the ones that covered up the most. Neither Alice or Tanya were having that.

"What's the point if you're just going to cover up?" Tanya asked, handing me a thin looking piece of string that was tye dyed. It was cute but barely enough fabric to cover anything. "Try this on. This is you!"

"Oh, and this one too!" Alice said, shoving a black and silver one in my direction. At least it covered a little bit more.

I would have hidden in the dressing room, but they nagged me until I came out to show them. Apparently, these were the ones. I decided to buy them to just to stop trying them on. I would be wearing shorts and a cover up most of the day anyway.

Or, at least, that's what I told myself.

"Thank you so much," Rose said as she leaned over her large stomach to hug me. She was wiped out. I could tell by the fact that she was basically wearing a muu-muu when she normally dressed so well. Her feet were in mismatched house shoes.

No one said a word. We knew better.

"BELLLLLAAAAA!" Bridget squealed as she fell into my arms from her father's grip. "I'M ALL READY!"

That she was. She had her own little bag, and she was already in a swimsuit. It had Ariel from the Little Mermaid, as did her matching sunglasses. Even her sandals matched.

"What am I? Chop liver?" Edward asked Bridget playfully with a frown. She giggled and reached for him, hugging him tightly. "How is my baby girl?"

"EXCITED!" She squealed.

"Thank you again," Rose said, flinching at the sound of the high pitch noise. Even Edward recoiled for the sound.

"Momma said that Tanya is coming too," the little girl said excitedly as we made our way to the car.

"Yes, she is. And her friend Kate is coming along too. She seems very nice. You're also going to meet Bella's daddy. He's got a boat," Edward explained to her. The two girls were in the back of the car, on either side of the car seat, waiting for us patiently. They were talking happily about something, giggling and turning red.

It was going to be such a good day. It was easy to tell that already.

"Hey, Dad!" I called to my father who stood on the deck beside his new boat. He had decided to rent a cabin by the lake, so we had a stretch of private beach. It was rather funny to see him in a pair of obnoxious flower covered Hawaiian style shorts and a tank top, exposing his farmers tan. He had a baseball cap and his standard pair of glasses, his feet looking odd in his flip flops.

He waved back brightly, putting his fishing stuff in the boat. Of course, he wouldn't miss the chance to fish. He met us at the end of the dock, hugging me tightly.

"Girl, looking prettier every time I see you," he chuckled, planting a kiss on my cheek. "How are you doing, Edward?"

"Good, sir."

"Nah, don't call me sir. I ain't anybodies boss no more."

"Good grammar there, Dad," I chuckled. Of course, he ignored me.

"My goodness, Birdie. You didn't tell me I'd be surrounded by so many beautiful women today!" He winked at Tanya and Kate, making them giggle. He knelt down. "And who are you, gorgeous?"

Like he didn't know.

"I'm Bridget!" She said, smiling at his happy expression.

"Let me see here," he said, eying her and pretending to use his hands to measure her height. "Yup, I think I've got the perfect fishing pole for you."

"A fishing pole?" She asked, confused.

"Yes, ma'am. It just happens to be in my boat. Would you like to go see?" He said, opening his arms up to her. She threw herself into them.

"Yes, please!" She nodded as he stood. Together they made their way towards the boat. As they walked away, I heard her begin to speak again, "Bella said you were a police officer."

"I was."

"Do you have a gun?" She asked curiously. I saw Edward smirk as he rolled his eyes.

"It's at home. But, I do have a water gun."

Not only did he have a water gun but he had bought her a Barbie fishing pole, a mickey mouse life vest, and a big beach ball, along with a few other dozen toys. He also had life vests for everyone else. He thought the day out more than I did.

"I can see he knows the way to a girl's heart," Tanya snickered as she pulled on her vest. "Stuff."

Kate, quiet but always smiling, nodded her head. He just happened to have fishing poles for them too. I had no idea how he convinced them all to go fishing with him, but I quickly realized that there was no room for Edward and me on that little boat.

That didn't bother me one single bit.

"Alright, ladies," Charlie said, clapping his hands together with a wide smile. "Let's see if we can catch some fish for dinner."

"Think I can catch a goldfish?" Bridget asked, thinking her question out loud. Dad laughed loudly.

"If not, baby girl, I'll buy you one."

It took a grand total of thirty minutes for Bridget, and Tanya for that matter, to have Charlie wrapped around their little fingers. I knew the look in his eyes. I had never seen it before, but I did know what it was. It was the _Grandpa Gaze_.

"I didn't know your dad was so good with kids," Edward commented as he laid out the lawn chairs we brought with us. He had already set up the grill, and I had arranged everything on the picnic table for later. All that was left to do was put on some more sunscreen and lay out in the sun.

Edward had yet to see my bathing suit since I changed in the bathroom, much to his annoyance. I was a little nervous about it, actually. I decided to go with the tye-dyed one since we were with Tanya. I didn't want her to think that I didn't like it.

"I didn't know either," I shrugged. "I mean, he was always good with me, but it's different when it's with your own kids," I said as I tugged down my shorts and began to pull off my cover-up. Edward was still fighting with the cranky lawn chair.

"Yeah, I guess so. I guess some people just-" he stopped mid-sentence.

"Just what?" I asked, turning to look at him. His mouth was hanging open, his eyes bugging out. "What?"

"I am so glad your father is not here," he mumbled as he looked up and down my body. "Holy shit."

"You've seen me in less. Today, as a matter of fact. Remember? We took a shower together?" I teased him.

"Do you not realize how absolutely smoking hot your body is to me?" He said in an almost feral tone. It made me shiver from head to toe. He suddenly looked like he was on the prowl as he stalked towards me. "You're fucking delicious, and I'm going to have to stare at you all day and try to control myself."

"You don't have to stare, you know."

"Like I have a choice. It's hard enough to take my eyes off of you as it is. Well, at least I have a few minutes to try to get used to it," he muttered before smiling sweetly. "Would you like me to help you with the sunscreen?"

"You just want a chance to feel me up," I accused him.

"Um, duh." He rolled his eyes, taking the tube from my hands. He put a big white blob in his hands and nodded at me, "turn around."

"This is going to end up dirty."

"Yup," he chuckled as he rubbed it over my shoulders and down my arms. With an expert touch, he moved it down my back. I expected his hands to be on my ass next, but instead, he slid them to the front, rubbing my stomach with the white stuff.

And then his hands moved up underneath my top. "Edward!" I gasped, his hands cold.

"They can't see us from here. They're almost to the center of the lake," he said into my ear, twisting his moist hands over my breasts. "And as much as I love you, I wouldn't be able to resist teasing you for sunburned nipples."

"You wouldn't feel sorry for me?"

"Oh, I'd feel very sorry, but there are some things that should be teased. If I ever burn my ass, make fun of me mercilessly." He smiled before he kissed my earlobe, tugging it within his teeth.

"I will have to remember that," I giggled. "I think they're covered, babe," I told him as I pushed his hands downwards.

"Yes, they are. Time for the legs."

He turned me around, put some more of the white cream in his hands and dropped to his knees. The look he gave me was pure evil. "Work on the legs," I warned him.

"I am..." he drew out, rubbing his hands together before smoothing the stuff down my thighs to my toes. He even made sure the tops of my feet were covered. Then they moved back up, sneaking up the back of my bottoms.

"Edward," I squealed, my hips jerking forward as I felt the coldness. He chuckled wickedly.

"Do you know how hard this is for me?" He asked as he leaned forward slightly. His nose dragged over the center of the bottoms before moving down slowly. "Being this close to you? I could move this little bit of fabric over and be dining in heaven in a second. Oh, god and you're so smooth to go along with it. It's fucking torture."

"You are incredibly bad. There are three children in that boat and an old man that don't want to come up to us fucking like bunnies on the beach."

"And that's the only reason I'm behaving myself right now," he said, moving the fabric just a little to allow his tongue to drag over my tingly flesh. I gasped, placing one hand on the top of his head to steady myself. "It's so hard not to go _'nom nom nom…',_" and as he said the last three words, he nibbled on me playfully. I squeaked loudly, popping him on the top of the head. He laughed softly, standing up to his feet. He looked me directly in the eyes as he moved his hands underneath my bottoms and rubbed me down with suntan lotion. "Wouldn't want to get burned either."

"You. Are. Bad," I stuttered.

He gave me a crooked smile. "I am, ma'am." I just rolled my eyes.

"You need to behave."

"Fine..." he huffed playfully. Edward then smacked my ass with a pop and said, "set your fine ass on that chair so I can watch you roast in the sun."

"I'm not going to roast." I rolled my eyes.

"Tanning is baking. Not that I'm not interested in seeing what you look like with a tan." He went to his chair and sat down, pulling out a book. "So, I'll be right here, pretending to read innocently but instead fantasizing about the dirty things I could do to you in the water and on the sand."

He smiled impishly and slipped on his sunglasses.

My boyfriend was a dork, but my god if I didn't love him more for it.

So, I slipped on my pair of sunglasses and laid out in the lawn chair. I liked the feeling of the hot sun on my back contrasting with the cool breeze. I rolled to different sides every few minutes so that I wouldn't be 'undercooked' in Edward's words.

About an hour later everyone came back without a single fish caught. That wasn't normal for my dad who could catch fish on his worst day. But instead of being grumpy about it, he was having a great time. He even got Kate to talk.

So, we went to our original plan of hamburgers. The kids went into the water to play while the adults got the food ready.

"Having a good time, Daddy?" I asked with a smile. I had slipped on my shorts, but I decided to stay in my swimsuit since I was somewhat comfortable.

"Yeah, I am," he smiled warmly. "I really like that Bridget. She's a hoot, Edward."

"She seems to like you too," my boyfriend replied, poking the grill with a stick to make sure all the coals were burning. I didn't know Edward could grill, but I shouldn't have been shocked. He could do everything when it came to cooking.

"You think so?" He said with a soft sigh and smile. "Well, you can bring her out boating with us anytime. She's a natural fisherman. She even almost caught a fish."

"Almost?"

"Yeah. She freaked out when it flopped on the floor of the boat and threw it back into the water, poor thing," he chuckled. "I wish I had a camera."

"Well, actually sir," Edward said, ignoring my father's huffing at the word 'sir,' "I was considering taking the girls to a baseball game sometime in the next couple of weeks. It would be a weekday game. I know you like sports," he trailed off, winking at me so my father couldn't see.

I knew exactly what he was doing. He was helping me spend time with all the people I loved the most while crossing something off my list.

He would _so_ be getting rewarded when we got home.

"The Rangers?" My dad asked thoughtfully. "Really? Hm, I think that sounds like a fantastic idea. They have a game in a couple of weeks that I really want to see. It's on a Monday. They're giving away baseballs or something."

"A Monday would be perfect," Edward agreed. "Would you like to come with Bella, Bridget, and I? I don't think Tanya will want to go because she's not into sports, but I was going to ask her as well."

"I'd love to, Edward!" My father said in an undeniably soft voice. It was a lot different from the police officer voice. "You know, you are a good man. Good with the kids. It's so nice of you to let your uncle and aunt get a break like that. I don't know many people that would do that so willingly."

My sweet boyfriend slid his arm around my waist, kissing the top of my head lightly. I sighed in contentment. My father liked Edward. He even got along with his family- the ones he met, anyway. It was like we all fit together in that way. I looked up into my boyfriend's deep green eyes and marveled at the happy look that shined in them.

"Thank you, sir," he said, looking at me and not my father. He squeezed my waist tightly. "I love my family."

I knew exactly what he was saying. He was saying that I was a part of his family now. The thought made me warm all over, from the tips of my suntan lotion covered toes to the very top of my head which received another loving kiss from Edward.

**Three more chapters and an epilogue! We're almost done and so is Bella with her list! **

**Thanks for reading! **


	41. Chapter 41

**The Game**

Nine days passed quickly. Edward was quite excited about the baseball game. I wasn't entirely sure why. I mean, I knew that he liked baseball and that he loved his niece, but it wasn't going to be exactly easy to keep a three year old entertained, especially since it was going to be passed her bedtime.

I was hoping to be wrong. Really _really_ hoping.

We decided to meet Charlie for dinner before the game at around four thirty so we would have enough time to get arranged and get into our seats. Plus he wanted to make sure that he got a baseball for Bridget.

Since we were going over there so early, we decided to go get Bridget at three thirty. You never knew how long it was going to take you to go to one place to another in Dallas. Sometimes the traffic was horrible. Luckily it didn't seem so bad. It was a rare occurrence.

"Hey," Emmett whispered as he opened the door. "Come on in. I haven't gotten B ready yet. She's asleep on the couch with her momma. I wanted to make sure she got a good long nap so she is in a good mood later."

"Wise," I smiled as I came inside. He gave me a one armed hug before shutting the door behind us.

Rosalie was stretched out along a big leather couch, her large stomach raised up a foot or so where it should have been. Or at least it seemed like it to me. She was wearing a t-shirt of Emmett's and nothing else, her legs covered haphazardly with a blanket. One of her arms was draped over her eyes, and she was snoring loudly. Tucked against her side was Bridget, her face shoved against her mother's stomach.

I certainly hoped she could breathe. Emmett didn't seem worried, so I didn't say anything. I also wondered if she could feel the baby kicking against her cheek. It was an interesting thought.

I turned just in time to see Emmett give Edward another one-armed hug, patting his back as they walked inside. "Hey. How are you?"

"Great," Edward smiled, wrapping his arms around my waist as he came to stand beside me.

"Liking the new house?"

"It's great," he whispered, which didn't really match his broad smile. "I mean, we're still getting used to it. We're still unpacking. Maybe eventually we'll finish getting set up," he chuckled.

"That's always the way. By the way, what are you doing for your birthday?"

"Birthday?" I asked quietly. I knew Edward's birthday was sometime in the summer, but he hadn't said anything to me about it.

"Yeah," Emmett said, smirking at me. "It's the twentieth."

Edward rubbed his neck bashfully. "I haven't really thought about it. We've been so busy. I'll think about it and get back to you."

"You better," he nudged him. "Your momma would kick my ass if I didn't make sure you celebrated in some way. I'm sure Bella has something crazy planned for you." He winked at me playfully. I just blushed, biting my lip as I looked down at my feet. "Well, let's get the kiddo up, and we'll get her ready to go."

Rose didn't even budge when Emmett removed the sleeping girl from her side. In fact, her snoring just got deeper. I wondered if I ever got pregnant if I would sleep like that. Like the dead on Ambien. I didn't think a giant zombie invasion could have disturbed her from her rest.

Bridget didn't exactly wake up perky though, _poor thing_. She groaned loudly, her head resting against Emmett's shoulder. "Daddy, I was comfy."

"I know, baby, but Edward is here," he cooed at her.

"Bella, too?" She said in a little voice, her eyes barely opening as she took in the information.

"Mmhmm," he answered her, rubbing her back as he walked her towards her bedroom.

"Does that mean I get to see Grandpa Charlie again?" She asked quietly before I heard the door shut. I looked over at Edward with raised eyebrows.

"I bet you she's going to walk away from this baseball game with a lot of stuff," he said, trying to distract me. I wasn't going to be deterred, though. I was on a mission.

I punched his shoulder soundly, making him flinch.

"Why didn't you tell me it was your birthday? It's less than two weeks away!"

"It didn't seem important."

"The day of your birth is a very important thing to me." I frowned at him. "I wish you told me."

"I'm sorry," he said soothingly, rubbing a hand over my shoulder. "I already got the best gift possible."

"Pussy whipped," Rosalie murmured as she rolled over, scratching her stomach before beginning to snore again. I laughed, making Edward chuckle as well.

"Woman, if you weren't pregnant," he said threateningly. She lifted her arm off the couch and flipped him off. He just chuckled again, shaking his head. "Bella, don't worry about it, okay?"

"Yeah, right," I muttered just as Bridget came out of her room, rubbing her eyes to get the sleep out. She walked to her mother and gave her a kiss before coming over to Edward. She just lifted her arms up limply, wiggling her fingers at him.

"Sleepy little dove," he cooed, nuzzling her hair lovingly. "Did you have any good dreams?"

"I dreamed I was a monkey," she said, laying her head on his shoulder.

"Not surprising. You are a monkey," he teased her, poking her side.

"I'm not a monkey," she complained weakly as we walked to the car. "I'm a pretty princess."

"I wonder where she heard that from." I rolled my eyes at Edward. He smiled at me as he put her into her seat, a booster that now set permanently in the back seat of my car. I loved hanging out with Bridget and Edward, and it looked nice back there. I think Edward thought the same thing.

Bridget was a lot more awake by the time we got to the trendy casual dining restaurant. She was talking non stop about the baseball game and how she couldn't wait to see Grandpa Charlie again. It was funny to hear that term, especially since she was nowhere close to being a grandchild of his. But, I bet he would just eat it all up.

"There are my girls!" Charlie said, kneeling down to Bridget's level when we came walking up. She ran into his arms and squealed. He chuckled loudly, spinning around for a moment. "How are you this evening?"

"Happy!" She said, batting her eyelashes at him. Yup, she was already working him and neither of them probably even knew it. She was going to be so dangerous when she got older. Guys were going to follow her around like puppy dogs. "I'm hungry!"

"Me, too!" He agreed, turning and walking into the restaurant.

"We didn't even get a hello," I pouted as I followed behind. Edward chuckled, wrapping his arms around my waist as we stood in front of the hostess stand, waiting for them to seat us.

He brought his lips close to my ear, whispering softly. "ello," he said, nibbling on it.

"Behave," I muttered.

"We know where this is headed, don't we?" He said suggestively.

"Yes, me punching you for getting frisky in front of my dad."

Charlie cleared his throat, "I will pretend I heard none of that."

"Please do," I said with a frown, tugging away from Edward and giving him an evil look. He just looked at me sheepishly, grinning at me in an apology.

When the hostess began to take us to our table, he grabbed my ass in a not so subtle fashion. I laughed and punched him square in the arm, making him laugh in return. He tickled me back, making me squeal like a little girl. I hit him again.

It was all very fifth grade.

Charlie, who was walking in front of us with the child, didn't even turn around to say, "do I need to break you two up?"

"He started it," I said accusingly.

"You started it," Edward shot back.

We stuck our tongues out at each other at the same time.

"You are silly," Bridget snorted. "Daddy told me when girls hit boys they're flirting."

Edward smiled, helping the little girl into her seat. He kissed her on the top of the head, rubbing her arms. "Yup, sometimes they do."

"Are you flirting with Edward?" Bridget asked with wide eyes. Her innocence was adorable.

"Yup," I winked at her. She laughed, clapping her hands.

"Does that mean you're getting married?" She asked in a loud and very enthusiastic way. Ever since Alice's wedding she had been obsessed with getting married and weddings. It wasn't unusual for a young girl anyway.

That didn't mean that silence didn't spread across the table. Menus stopped moving, and three pairs of eyes were all on me at once.

I cleared my throat and longingly wished for a Coke to chug down simply so I didn't have to answer. Especially in front of my father. But, the waiter still hadn't come by the table, and I was left wanting.

I cleared my suddenly dry throat and smiled sweetly at Bridget. "Well, yes. One day. I love Edward very much."

My boyfriend smiled like a cat who got the canary. My father was incredibly thoughtful. And apparently, all I did by answering that question was get the poor child even more excited.

"Can I be the flower girl again!? Can I wear a red dress? Can your wedding be in red? Red is my favorite color!" She began, chattering away. Edward leaned in, covering her mouth gently before she could get too loud.

"Bridge, I haven't asked Ms. Bella yet. A man has to ask a woman to marry him before they can have a wedding. Not to mention she has to say yes."

"Well, ask her," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Well, there are a few things I have to do first!" He chuckled, touching her nose. "But when I do, you'll be the first to know, okay?"

"Promise?" She eyed him seriously. I giggled, covering my mouth to hide it from the extremely straight-faced girl. She was so sweet.

"I swear."

Thankfully this appeased the small child.

The waiter finally came to take our drink order. Edward and I split a salad and a burger. Bridget got chicken fingers, and my father got catfish. He had a hell of a time trying to get the girl to try some of his fish. He wanted to show her why she was fishing in the first place the other day. When she finally did try it, she liked it so much that my father ended up eating the chicken instead.

And he didn't mind one single bit.

By the time we finally got to our seats in the red-bricked baseball stadium Bridget already had a bag with a program in it, two baseballs, and a bag full of three colored cotton candy. My father had a beer, as did Edward, and I shared a diet soda with Bridget.

Bridget was just pleased with the candy, more interested in that than the first two innings of the game. The only time she stopped eating was when they did the national anthem.

"So, what do you think of your first baseball game?" Edward asked, his arm draped over the back of my chair. I was snuggled in the crook of his arm, watching from where my head rested against his shoulder.

"Well, the chair is comfortable," I said with a smile, wiggling in place a bit to show my point. "And the company is good."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Charlie said from his spot beside Bridget.

"It is," I laughed. "This is nice. I'm thrilled we did this. We'll have to do this again real soon."

"That sounds nice," my dad said, patting my hand gently. "Edward, make sure she keeps to that."

"I will," he chuckled, taking a long drag off of his beer. "Especially if it means bringing my girls out."

I turned slightly and kissed his jaw, just smiling to myself. I didn't think things got much better than this.

Somewhere around the fourth inning, Bridget got some popcorn and a soda of her own thanks to my father. By the sixth inning, she was sitting on Charlie's lap, watching as the game progressed.

It was bound to happen. During the middle of the eighth inning, Bridget's eyes got real wide like she was surprised and she clutched her knees together. "I gotta go potty."

Both Edward and Charlie stood up like they were going to take her. I rolled my eyes and stood up myself. "I've got her guys. I don't want her to go to a men's room at a sports arena."

"Probably got a point there," Charlie smirked. He focused his eyes on Bridget. "You hurry back and when the game is over we'll get you a souvenir!"

"Okay!" She grinned, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the stairwell.

Thankfully the bathrooms weren't too far away, but there was a little bit of a line. Bridget waited as patiently as she could, dancing in place beside me. I giggled, "soda makes you need to go potty bad, huh?"

"Real bad," Bridget agreed, nodding her head as she continued to squirm. Just in the nick of time, a stall opened, and she raced inside. I stood outside the door and held it close because in her rush she forgot to lock it. It was hard to hold in my laughter when she let out a sigh of contentment when she finally got to go.

It was the simple joys in life.

We washed up and headed back to our seats. They were in the middle of the ninth, and it wouldn't be much longer. The Rangers were ahead by three runs, and it didn't look like the other team was going to come back from that.

When we came back to the row where Edward and my father sat, I noticed them leaning in close to each other, talking seriously.

"What are you guys talking about?" I asked, and they shot apart, both of their faces turning red.

"Nothing," Edward said quickly, standing up to let me to my seat. Bridget got settled back on Charlie's lap.

"It didn't look like nothing," I said, eying them both curiously. Charlie didn't look at me, but straight ahead at the game with his arm protectively around Bridget's waist so she wouldn't tumble backward out of his lap.

"Girl, stop being nosy," Charlie scoffed, still not looking at me. "We weren't talking about nothing."

I licked my upper lip in thought as I looked at them both. My dad refused to meet my gaze, and when I narrowed my eyes on Edward, he flushed brighter. I leaned in close, whispering in his ear, "was he giving you a hard time?"

Edward snorted, "no, love. Don't worry about it, okay?"

I would have pressed further, but I heard the crack of a bat and the crowd went nuts. Apparently, the Rangers scored another run. I decided it was probably a subject best left untouched until we weren't in mixed company.

"Oh, look!" Charlie gushed like an old southern woman, "it's a little cheerleader uniform! Edward, what do you think her size is?"

"Daddy, she doesn't need all of that," I said. He had already agreed to buy her a teddy bear with the jersey. He ignored me.

"She's a four T," Edward answered. I gave him a look, and he just shrugged. "I might as well help him! He's going to buy it anyway. Might as well get it a little big so she can grow into it."

"I can already see how you two are going to be when you have kids," my dad said as he searched through the costumes. He found the one he wanted and hung it over his arm. "She's going to be the boss, and you're going to be the dad who goes _'sure baby, of course, you can have ice cream!'_" He laughed.

"You're one to talk," I mumbled.

"And you turned out alright, now didn't you?" He smiled at me. I watched as his eyes lit up. "Oh! Pom-Poms! That'll go with it perfectly."

Edward carried the sleeping Bridget to the front door of Emmett and Rosalie's house while I brought all of her loot. Her new teddy bear was held limply in one of her arms, simply not falling because one of its arms was smashed between the toddler and Edward's body.

"Wow," Rosalie said as she looked at all the goodies. "You guys didn't have to buy her all of that stuff."

"We didn't," I frowned.

"Grandpa Charlie did," Edward laughed, handing over the girl to her father. "He's really liking that title."

"Yeah, she doesn't get much grandparent time. You know, with Ma and Pa being in Florida and Rose's parents still working," Emmett shrugged. "I'm not going to stop her if he doesn't mind."

"Trust me, he doesn't," I chuckled. "At all."

Rosalie took all the stuff from my arms, examining it with a curious glance. "Um, okay. Well, thanks so much for taking her out. It was nice to have some quiet time."

"As always, you're welcome," I said, giving her a quick hug. Edward did the same, kissing her cheek.

"I'll try to take her again sometime next week, Rose," he said to her. "I know how tired you are. I'll try to get you a break if I can."

"God bless you," she muttered before giving a warm smile. "Goodnight, guys."

The ride back to the house was quiet. I was trying to think of the best way to figure out how to ask Edward what he was talking about with my father. I was also thinking about what I wanted to do for his birthday. I wanted it to be a surprise, at the very least.

It wasn't hard to decide what I wanted to do for him. He was such a family man, and I knew that he missed his parents. The hard part would be trying to get them over here without him finding out beforehand. I would have to talk to them sooner rather than later. That night if possible.

It was just after midnight by the time we got home. I kicked off my shoes, leaving them in the foyer as I stretched my arms. Edward wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, kissing my neck lightly.

"So, did you enjoy the game?" He asked casually.

"It was a lot of fun," I answered. I decided to use the opening if he was going to make it so easy. "I'm still curious to what you and my father were talking about it."

He turned me around, his hands on my waist. "Nothing to worry your head over, love."

"I'm just worried if he was giving you crap over-" He placed his lips on mine, kissing them firmly.

"It was nothing like that. We were talking about certain things that come with this house. Some responsibilities," he said cryptically. My boyfriend kissed my lips slowly again, running his hands over my ass. "That's all."

"Mm," I muttered. I didn't think that was all _at all_. When someone says '_that's all_' they were usually keeping back some information.

And I would have said as much if he wasn't distracting me with wandering hands. I would have allowed him to keep wandering if I didn't have things to do as well. I pulled away, frowning slightly. "I just thought of something I need to do for work before I forget."

"So late?" He complained, running his fingers through my hair.

"Yeah, it shouldn't take too long," I answered, pulling my phone out of my purse and slipping it into my pocket before throwing the bag onto the table beside the door.

"Maybe I can help?" He offered sweetly. I nibbled on my lip, thinking of a way to distract him.

"Actually, I'm feeling a little hungry. Think maybe you can make a little something?" I asked, batting my eyelashes at him. I knew he couldn't resist them.

"How long do you think you'll be working?" He asked thoughtfully.

"Thirty minutes tops."

"I can work with that. What would you like?" Edward asked with a little smile, dragging his fingers along my jaw. His touch was wonderful.

"Anything you'd like," I told him. "I love whatever you cook. I promise I will try to finish up as quickly as possible," I said as I pulled away from his grasp before he could suck me in with warm touches and even hotter kisses.

I went towards my office, typing away on my phone quickly. I wasn't sure what time it was in London, or wherever she was, but I didn't want to wake Esme. I decided the best way was to text her and then I would look at flights from London to Dallas for a few minutes.

"_Esme, when you get this could you give me a call? It doesn't matter the time. I have a favor to ask." _

No more than a full minute after I sent the message my phone was ringing. My laptop hadn't even finished loading up yet.

"Is everything okay?" Esme asked quickly, a lot of noise in the background.

"Everything is fine. Where are you at?"

"We're in an airport in Poland. We're heading back to London today. What's the favor? Is everything okay?"

I cleared my throat softly. "Everything is great. Well, it's just that Edward's birthday is coming up and he didn't tell me until tonight, but I want to surprise him. I was wondering if I could talk you and Carlisle into coming-"

"Sure!" She squealed quickly. "We'd love to!"

I didn't even get a chance to finish the sentence before she answered. She must have been looking for an excuse to come over stateside.

"It would be a surprise," I said to her. "Maybe have a little party."

"Oh! That would be perfect! We should throw Edward a big party! Have the entire family get together. That would be so wonderful. When do you want us there?"

"The day before his birthday?" I thought out loud. "Of course I'll pay for everything."

"No, you won't!" She scoffed. "So, the day before. Would you like to do a surprise party? I'm sure my sisters would love it!"

"Yeah. That would be great. Edward loves those potluck style meals they do," I offered.

"That would be perfect! I'll call them this afternoon, and we'll get the ball rolling. I'll call you with more details," she said excitedly. I heard Carlisle in the background, sounding completely confused. "We're going to Texas for Edward's birthday! Bella's a genius."

"I just want to make Edward happy," I told her truthfully.

"And you're doing a fantastic job," she said softly. I could practically see her smile. "Honey, we've got to go. They're calling our flight. We'll buy the tickets today, and I'll call my sisters. We'll get it all set up."

"Just one thing," I said quickly before she hung up. "I want to make his birthday cake."

"Got it!" She laughed. "Love you, darlin," she said, her accent thick.

"Love you, too," I smile, hanging up the phone. I set the cell down, closing my laptop. Apparently, I didn't have to look at flights after all.

I made my way to the kitchen where Edward was making what looked like omelets and toast with some nice hot tea. He smiled at me broadly. "That was quick."

"Yeah, that was a lot easier than I thought it would be," I answered truthfully. I came to him and hugged his waist gently. "Want me to do anything?"

"Just stand there and be your sexy self," he teased me, kissing my forehead. I laughed, squeezing him tighter. "Okay, well, maybe you can grab the butter from the fridge."

As I watched Edward move around the kitchen, I smiled to myself. He was so happy already, and I couldn't wait to see his reaction to his birthday surprise.

**Hm, what do you think Edward talked to Charlie about at the game?**

**Two more chapters and an epilogue to go! Don't forget to check out my poll on my profile on what oldies I should do next. (I don't think it works on mobile, so if you have an opinion but can't vote, let me know) **

**Thanks for reading! **


	42. Chapter 42

**Happiness**

The next week or so flew by at crazy speeds. Between talking with Edward's mother and family and my work, I was constantly busy. It was insane. Somehow I kept it all a secret from him, though I wasn't sure how. It was probably due to the amount he was working. He wanted to take a few days off, starting on his birthday, which was perfect. He deserved it if anything else.

When Emmett got wind of the party, he said he would keep Edward busy the morning of. He, with the help of Jasper, would take him for a birthday lunch. I told my boyfriend that I wanted to have a special dinner with him but that he would have to stay out of the house while I got it ready.

He hemmed and hawed, but he agreed. Thankfully. If he hadn't, I would have simply had Jasper and Emmett literally kidnap him. As it were, I knew they were going to blindfold him before they got to his aunt's house so he wouldn't know what was going on. I was sure all the cars would have tipped him off.

I wish Emmett could film Edward's face when he did blindfold him. I was sure the whole thing would be priceless.

The day before the big party Edward was literally working all day. It couldn't have worked out better for me if I had planned it. He was working at three different weddings, and he was going to be gone from the house until late in the evening.

He thought I was working as well. Well, he was sort of right.

I asked for Jasper's help in making Edward a birthday cake, and he agreed, of course. He was actually really excited about it. He was making all sorts of plans, which made me extremely nervous.

"Jasper, I hope you didn't go too far. Seriously, I wanted to make Edward a cake. I just need some help," I complained as I slipped on an apron. We were in the back of his bakery, the smell of fresh cookies and bread wafting past my nose.

"Um, okay... let me just say this. He is my friend too. And the party is going to be huge," he began sheepishly. I just frowned. "And I figured you wouldn't mind making one layer of the cake."

"One layer?" I asked in confusion. "I need to do more than that."

He whipped out a piece of paper and smiled at me slightly as he opened it. "So, this is the basic design. I was thinking a nice stacked three-layered cake with a large base. The bottom is going to be a butter cake, the middle chocolate, and the very top is going to be a strawberry. This should be enough to feed... oh, I'd say, three hundred not so hungry people or two hundred cake lovers."

"Jasper!" I gasped, looking at his plans. "I can't do all of this! And this is got to cost a fortune!"

"No, it isn't! The cake is cheap. It's the labor that costs, and luckily I'm not charging you," he said as he wrapped an arm around my waist. "I'll help you through every step of the way. And you just said you wanted to bake a homemade cake, not decorate it. I've got that part."

"How am I going to get this to his party?" I asked, confused and a little frustrated.

"Seth is going to deliver it in the morning. Along with a few other baked goods. I've been in touch with Emmett and Rosalie, and this is going to be a kick-ass party." He smiled. "You're awesome for doing this for him. I know he's going to love it."

"Are you sure?" I asked quietly. "It's kind of gotten out of hand."

That was an understatement. Literally all of Edward's family was coming. Including his grandparents from Florida. There was going to be, at the very minimum, two hundred people. All of which agreed to bring a dish.

We were going to need a van to bring all of his gifts home.

"Edward needs to go 'wild' every once in a while. And this..." he stopped, thinking out his words carefully before he began to speak again. "This shows how well you know him. You know what he likes. What he loves. His family is essential to him and the fact you went to all this trouble to get them all together for his birthday? Baby, it's great."

I sniffled, for some reason tears springing to my eyes. I wiped one away quickly, which thankfully Jasper ignored. Clearing my throat roughly, I looked over at my tall blond friend. "Where do we start?"

"Okay, I've got everything out. We're going to start with a base mix and then add whatever flavoring we want."

He pulled out a huge bowl. It was as big as a hot tub, or at least it felt like it to me. Jasper had already pre-measured all the ingredients we would need. Flour, butter, sugar, and literally eighteen eggs. And some other stuff too that I really wasn't sure of. He was the baker, so I trusted him.

Jasper talked me through everything, just pointing out things I needed to do. Oh, and he helped me lift the bowl to the mixer. It was too heavy for me. We measured. We mixed. We added flavors. And finally, we put them into the oven. While they were cooking, we made up a batch of white buttercream frosting.

"What color should we do it?" He asked, showing me all the different shades he had to offer. It was literally dozens.

"Dark Green and light blue," I said right away.

"That sounds nice," Jasper said thoughtfully. "I can do some white piping for some details. Yeah, I think that'll be great."

When the cakes came out of the oven, he made sure they were adequately cooled before flipping them out. This is the part where I simply stood back and watched.

With expert hands he sliced the cakes in half, putting different stuff in the center. Strawberry jam, a chocolate crème, and cream cheese. He trimmed and frosted, stacked and decorated. By the time it was all said and done the cake was three feet high, if not taller. The bottom was a vibrant colored grass green and it faded in the middle into the blue until the very top of the cake was a baby blue. It looked like the horizon.

"Flowers would be pretty on the bottom," I said thoughtfully. "You were talking about piping too. The white would look like clouds on the top."

"Perfect. Not exactly manly but I think Edward will love it," he laughed, picking up his bag of icing. "By the way, what time do you have to pick up his parents?"

"At-" I stopped as I looked at my watch, flinching back at the time. It took a lot longer than I thought it would. "In a few minutes actually. I've got to go. Do you want me to come back?"

"No girl, I got this. If I have any questions, I'll let you know. Seth is going to deliver it tomorrow right before noon," he said, placing a kiss on my cheek. "This was fun today. Maybe next time we'll do something a little fancier."

I scoffed, making him laugh. "Thanks for all your help. You're a wonderful friend."

Jasper blushed, smiling coyly. "Go on. You're embarrassing me."

I reached up on tiptoes and returned his kiss. He turned nearly purple in the face, his emotions right there for all to see. He gave me a big squeeze before I fled out to my car.

I drove like a bat out of hell to get to the airport in time. I was panting when I found Carlisle and Esme by the luggage. "I'm here, I'm here," I wheezed, doubling over.

Carlisle laughed, "you know, you didn't have to run. We could have waited the ten minutes."

"I didn't want to keep you waiting," I told him, rubbing the stitch in my side. "How was the flight?"

"Long." Esme came over and gave me a big hug. "I couldn't sleep through any of it though! I am so excited!"

Apparently, it was the day for hugs and kisses. I didn't mind it though. Perhaps a year ago I would have been uncomfortable with it but now... _now_, I loved it.

"She's been talking about it non stop since you called us," Carlisle chuckled, lifting up their bags from the belt. "You know, she's just been looking for her chance to come again."

"Once a year just isn't enough," she complained. "Besides, it's my baby's birthday!"

"I know, darling. I know," he chuckled. "I'm excited too. Does Edward have a clue?"

"Not at all," I said, "I think anyway. He thinks Emmett and Jasper are taking him out to lunch and that I'm making him a nice meal. I think he thinks it's going to be a quiet evening at home."

"Boy is he wrong," Esme snickered. "It's not going to be quiet for days."

"Isn't that the truth?" I laughed. "I can't believe this is all going so well. I mean," I sighed, smiling at them both. "Thank you so much for helping me with this. I never would have been able to do it without you."

"Of course, darlin," Esme said in her thick accent. "I'd do anything to help the girl that's making my son so happy. This is wonderful."

And she was right. It was wonderful.

I went to dinner with Edward's parents before dropping them off at the hotel they were staying at for the time they were here. His grandparents were staying there as well and had already arrived safely. From what Esme had said after talking to one of her many sisters, they had already had the tents up and the food was already cooking. Everyone had decided to do a Thanksgiving-themed meal since they knew Edward loved it so much. I couldn't imagine all the food that was going to be there.

It was around seven when he finally got home. I was in my office, unpacking the last two boxes that we had left. I had been working my way slowly through the house, and somehow I was almost done.

"Hey baby," he said as he leaned against the doorframe. "How was your day?"

I could tell he was tired, _poor thing._ His eyes had dark purple circles underneath them, and his fingers were curled in at his sides. I stood up and walked to him quickly.

"Busy," I told him truthfully. I couldn't lie so it was just easier to tell him the truths I could. "How are you?"

"Exhausted," Edward sighed, leaning his head against my shoulder as I wrapped my arms around his waist. He breathed in deeply, his eyelashes fluttering against my neck. "You smell so good. Like cake."

I struggled to find a good excuse and decided, once again, that lying wasn't the way to go. So, I told him a bit of the truth. "I ran to Jasper's Bakery. Had to get something for tomorrow."

"And what was that?" He asked without missing a beat, his fingers running over my hips.

I knew exactly what he was doing. He was trying to get information out of me in his special way. Well, it certainly wasn't going to work. I wasn't going to let it.

"No, sir," I teased, pushing him back gently. "You can't use your nimble fingers and sexy accent to get a single word out of me. It's a surprise, and it's going to stay that way."

"Nimble?" He chuckled, running the rough tips of his fingers in feather-light waves over my rib cage. "Sexy accent? Do you really think so?"

"Yes, they are both absolutely panty dropping. And since that's the case, I must ask you to leave this room so I can keep my secrets intact and my panties firmly in place."

He laughed loudly, throwing his head back. "I'm being banished?"

"Yes!" I teased him, swinging my hips as I went over to my boxes. "I was in the middle of something I wanted to finish."

"Want some help?" Edward offered, his voice turning softer and more serious.

"No, honey. It's okay. It's just the two left. Are you hungry? Want me to fix you something to eat?"

"No, I got it," he assured me. "I'll let you finish. Are those the last of them?" He asked thoughtfully.

"They are," I said, kneeling beside the box. "We're almost completely settled."

I expected him to bring up something we had talked about not so long before. How I promised him that we would talk about marriage once the final boxes were unpacked, but he didn't say a word about it. Instead, he came over to me and kissed the top of my head lightly.

"Want me to make you something too?"

"No, I've eaten," I said quietly.

"Alright," he said, turning to go towards the kitchen. "Let me know if you need anything."

The first of the second boxes were almost already empty. There wasn't much in it, to begin with. Just a few office supplies. Mostly things I could live without anyway. But the second and final box was filled to the brim. It was the things I wanted to decorate my office with. Things I could live without but didn't want to.

First was a photograph of Alice and me in New Orleans by the river. We were hugging each other, smiling widely at the camera. Emmett had said something stupid a few moments before, making everyone laugh in the process.

I loved having friends. I loved having a best friend. She had done so many wonderful things for me. She had filled in so many gaps in my life. I hadn't realized how badly I need one until I finally had her. I never knew what was missing from my life.

Next was a picture of Jasper, in New Orleans as well. We were both sitting on a bed with our ankles crossed, eating pralines, with the massive bag of his efforts in between us. Edward thought it was a hilarious shot and framed it for me. He wrote on the back _'two nuts in one bed'_.

Just looking at his handwriting made me smile.

The next five frames were all of Edward or of me. Two were in England around Christmas time. One of us together before we went out dancing, the one that his mother forced us to take. Another was of him standing on the ferry, looking over at Big Ben. I wasn't even sure he knew I was taking the picture at the time. He had a scarf around his neck, both it and his hair blowing in the wind. He had such a serene smile on his face.

The next picture was of Edward and me at the winery. The owner was kind enough to take it for us. My handsome boyfriend was looking down at me lovingly, his arms around my waist. I was looking up, smiling for everything I was worth as I looked at only him.

The next two, and final, pictures were from Ripley's. We took them in a booth before leaving. One where we were all crammed in together, Bridget, Edward, Tanya, and I, and another where it was just Edward and myself. He had his lips pressed against my cheek, and I looked utter shocked by it. It came in a set of four, and he had the other two in his wallet.

My eyes lingered on the photo of all of us. We almost looked like a family. Though, I suppose we were in our own way. Edward looked like the perfectly doting father, smoothing away a piece of the little girl's hair. My arm was snug around Tanya's waist, keeping her from falling to the floor as she sat uncomfortably on my lap.

And as lovely as this family photo was, I wanted another. I wanted a real one. I wanted our family photo.

I wanted a picture of Edward holding a bundle of fabric, a baby wrapped inside. I didn't care if it was a girl or a boy. I just wanted to give Edward a child. Or a dozen if he wanted them. I somehow suspected that he wanted more than just the one. I didn't care though. I wanted to give him that.

And I wanted to give him so much more. He already had my heart. But, I wanted to give him all of me.

Without another thought, I stood up and arranged the pictures on my large oak desk just so. When I came back to the box, I realized two things. It was empty, and I was ready.

It hit me like a hammer.

It wasn't that I wanted to marry Edward. It was that I _needed_ to marry him. I needed to be his wife. He already had my heart, and I knew I had his. I had no idea what I was so worried about.

Suddenly things from before didn't seem to matter. Like my list. It was all well and good, and it did help my life, but I wanted to live beyond it. I didn't need to go off some piece of paper anymore. I knew what I wanted.

And I wanted Edward.

_And_ I didn't want us to stumble through some awkward conversation. Edward deserved more than that. He deserved some sort of romantic gesture. He had done so many for me.

With that thought, I popped up to my feet and gathered my things together. I didn't even bother with shoes, instead just putting on flip flops. I ran down to the kitchen in a hurry, coming up to Edward and kissing him firmly on the lips.

Poor thing looked so confused. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is great. I just realized that I need something else for tomorrow and I have to get it tonight," I said, kissing him again. "I'll be back in a little while."

"Where are you going?" He said, grabbing my arm.

I laughed, turning in his arms so that mine was wrapped around his neck. "I promise you'll see tomorrow. It'll be worth the wait."

Edward let me go slowly, looking at me curiously. "Okay. Be careful though. I love you."

"I love you too," I swore with all my heart and with that I bolted out the door. As soon as I got backed out of the driveway, I pulled out my phone and dialed the only person I would go to for fashion help. "Hey, Alice."

"Hey, baby!" She said happily. "Excited for the party tomorrow? I saw the cake, and it is GORGEOUS! The two of you did a great job!"

"Thanks," I said in a rush. "Alice, can you meet me at Galleria in like ten minutes? I need your help."

"Yeah, sure. Why? Something wrong?"

"Everything is perfect. I just need your advice on some jewelry."

"Cool. Of course. What kind of jewelry?"

"A ring. I'm going to propose to Edward tomorrow."

**One more chapter and an epilogue! Don't forget to check out my poll if you wanna sure your opinion on which I should repost next. **

**Thanks for reading! **


	43. Chapter 43

**Surprise, Surprise**

Alice helped me find the perfect ring for Edward in less than an hour. It was tungsten, beautiful and strong. It had etchings in the center, never-ending knotting that was intertwined and always connected.

I loved it, and I also loved the fact that they had it in his size. If it didn't fit, we could get it resized later. I was sure it would be a bit too big, not too small. Edward was a thin man with even thinner fingers.

It would do.

By the time I got home around nine thirty, he was already in bed and asleep. I changed and brushed my teeth before crawling in with him, kissing his forehead lightly. He moaned in his sleep, clutching me to his body.

I fell asleep quickly in his arms. My body needed the rest as much as it desired the closeness and warmth.

I began to dream sometime during the night. I was weaving through a crowd of people, all of them smiling and laughing but I was having trouble finding the person I wanted. The person I needed. _Edward._ I searched and searched until I finally found them in a clearing, the people around him in a circle but ignoring him at the same time. I reached for him, and when he saw me, he smiled and reached his hand out to me. But, just as we were about to touch, I woke up with a start.

My hands blindly searched for Edward in the sheets and blankets, but I couldn't find him. He wasn't in bed with me, nor was he in the bathroom.

I slipped on my slippers and began to search the house for him. He wasn't in the living room or his music room. Finally, I began to hear the clanging and clatter of pots and pans in the kitchen. I came to the doorway and leaned against it as I watched.

There was a whole bunch of stuff out, items that I didn't know what they did. But, there were a lot of mason jars out with a dark red goo in them. There was also a large pot that appeared to be filled with boiling water.

"What are you doing?" I asked quietly so not to frighten him. He was leaning against the sink, washing something.

"I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" He asked instead of answering my question.

"No, I had a dream, and it woke me up. You weren't there and I got worried."

"I'm sorry," Edward answered softly. "I didn't mean to worry you. And don't worry, I'll clean up this mess when I'm done."

"I don't care about the mess. I care about you. Is something bothering you?" I asked quietly, coming to stand behind him. My arms wrapped around his waist as my cheek rested against his back.

"I'm just... nervous, I guess."

"About what?" I asked, my hands resting on his hips.

"Tomorrow, I suppose?" He shook his head. "I'm curious to what your surprise is, and I don't know. Worried about being a year older, I guess."

"Well, you don't look a day over twenty-five," I teased him, making him chuckle softly. "And I think you'll like your surprise. You'll just have to be patient. You can't always be the one surprising people."

"Hm," he muttered as he turned around. His hands were warm and slightly damp as they found their way underneath my thin t-shirt. "I suppose not. No hints?"

"None," I said, kissing his jaw. "So, are you going to tell me what you're doing?"

"I'm making stuff... When I couldn't sleep, I used to get up and cook all this _stuff_ for later. I've been sleeping really well lately, and I guess I was due. I was almost out of jam."

"You're making jam?"

"Well, I made some homemade mayo and some ketchup first. Those are easy, and I know how you like the mayo in tuna," he said with a sigh. "I was hoping I'd be tired by then, but I wasn't, so I decided to make some strawberry jam and some fig preserves. I got some fresh the other day from the farmer's market."

"I didn't know you knew how to make this kind of _stuff,"_ I replied, turning to look at his efforts on the counter. I should have realized he knew how to preserve his own jam. Only my Edward. I realized there was another pan beside the larger pot filled with a bubbling tan colored goop.

He shrugged, blushing for some reason. "My grandmother taught me. I know it's a little... well... _fruity_... to do this kind of-"

"Fruity?" I stopped him before he could go any further. "It's fantastic, Edward! It smells so good in here."

"Want a taste?" He offered, pointing at one of the pink jars. "The figs aren't done yet. This jar didn't preserve as it should have so we'll be eating it first."

"I'd love some."

He pulled out a loaf of bread and pulled out a single piece. He carefully arranged a glob on one corner before handing it to me. "It's still warm, so be careful."

I moaned in pure delight as I tasted the sweet sticky substance on my tongue. "Edward... This is soooo good..." I hummed through my bite. "Oh, my god. This is like orgasmically good."

"Thanks," he said, blushing a bit more. The color spread from his cheeks all the way down to his neck. "I think my figs are a bit better. I also do a grape jelly and a blueberry jam."

"This with some of Jasper's homemade bread would be heaven," I told him. "You've ruined me to all store-bought stuff, you know that?"

"Kind of the idea," he laughed. "This is better for you anyway."

"You know what you should do?" I said as I spread some more onto the bread. "You should talk to Jasper about selling some of this in the bakery. It makes sense. I bet he would."

"It's something to consider," he shrugged, leaning down to snag a bite before I could take another one. "You really do like it?"

"I love it," I told him, touching his nose. "You're going to make me fat again."

"I'll keep you active," he teased. "Besides, it wouldn't matter what size you were. I'd still love you with all my heart and soul."

"You know I feel the exact same way, don't you?" I whispered as I leaned against him. I could feel his heart thumping wildly against my cheek. "That I would love you no matter how you looked. I will love you when I'm a fat old woman, and you're a crazy old man losing his mind."

"Why do you assume I'm going to lose my mind?" He asked with a raised and challenging eyebrow. It just made me laugh.

"You're making jam at four in the morning. I love you but that's not normal," I teased him. "On your birthday, no less."

He snorted. "You're down here, at four in the morning, eating my jam. What does that say about you?"

I laughed, "I never said I wasn't abnormal too."

"And I love you for it all the more," he cooed, kissing my lips softly. Slowly the kiss began to deepen, his hands dragging down my back to my ass. Just as he squeezed it between his fingers, a timer went off with a loud ding.

"Never heard my ass make that sound before," I said, looking behind me and down at his hands. He laughed, squeezing it again before releasing me.

"Figs are done."

"Want some help?" I offered, biting my bottom lip. I wasn't going to be able to go to sleep without him anyway.

"Sure. Why don't you grab that funnel there," he said, pointing at a big metal funnel with an opening that sat perfectly in the hole of the jar.

We stayed up until six in the morning, eating a breakfast of eggs and toast with the literal fruits of his labor. We went back to bed for a couple of hours before we had to get up again.

Jasper and Emmett were picking up Edward at eleven for lunch, and they were going to blindfold him and bring him to his aunt's house at four. I was going to be out of the house as soon as he left, going to help decorate.

"Are you sure I can't talk you into staying in bed all day?" Edward whined as someone, Emmett most likely, laid on the horn outside.

"Yes, I'm sure," I laughed, hugging him tightly. "Go have fun. Go do... manly things."

"Yeah, sure. As long as we don't go to another strip club."

"In the middle of the day? Yeah, that sounds like something your uncle would do," I chuckled, kissing his chin. The horn blared again. "Go, and I'll see you tonight."

"Fine," he whimpered. "Love you, Bella."

"Love you, always and forever with all my heart," I told him with a big kiss, weaving my fingers through his hair to give it one final tug. With that he stumbled out the door, drunk with the passion I just showed him.

You know, just to give him something to think about in case they did go to a strip club in the middle of the day.

As soon as the door closed, I rushed into our room and packed a bag so I could change after I decorated. I would be going in and out all day in the Texas heat, and I didn't want to sweat all over my pretty summer dress. Also, who knew the mess I would make.

I slipped the box that held the ring into the bag before leaving the house. I was more than prepared.

Edward's aunt Evelyn's house was already buzzing with excitement when I got there. People were going about, doing all sorts of things to get ready. The men were outside setting up tables and chairs while the women were in the kitchen getting food prepared.

Rosalie and Esme had apparently gotten the decorations that morning, and they were sorting through what looked like twenty bags of stuff from Party City.

"Holy crow, did we go overboard?" I laughed as I sat down on the floor.

"Yes," they said the same time, laughing. Esme smiled at me sheepishly. "Well, I wanted the party to go with the cake. I've got everything in blue and green. We've got tablecloths, plates, forks, cups, balloons, and confetti. I've got some happy birthday signs too."

And then she pulled out a massive bag of balloons.

"And we've got six helium tanks over there," Rosalie added, my eyes growing wide.

"How many balloons are you planning to do?" I breathed.

"Three hundred or about there. Oh, and here are some adorable centerpieces!" She gushed. I waved my hands in front of me, trying to slow her down.

"How are we going to get all of this done before Edward gets here? It's already close to noon."

"Honey, that's the best part about having a big family. You've got plenty of helpers," Esme said, patting my hand before winking at me. "You're going to have to get used to it, you know."

"I am," I agreed before looking down at the bags to hide my blush. "So, where do we start?"

We worked on setting up the decorations for about an hour before I got a little break. The tables were clothed, so to speak, once the men were done setting them up. We covered them with confetti with the help from the children, and the centerpieces were placed just so. About ten people were working on the balloons, and they were getting blown up amazingly fast. The other set of men, half of which I didn't even know, set up a dance floor underneath one part of the tent.

Apparently, Edward's grandmother decided it was a good idea to hire a DJ. It wasn't something I even thought about, but it did seem like a good idea. Edward loved music.

At one, a delivery van with Jasper's bakery logo on it pulled up. The baby faced Seth brought the cake in on a large rolling cart. "Hey, Bella! Nice to see you again!"

"Great to see you too," I told him, smiling. "Thanks so much for bringing the cake. You know, you're welcome to stay."

He laughed, ducking his head. "I would, but someone's got to keep the bakery running. Thanks though. Maybe I'll come by when it's closed if you think you'll still be partying."

"I certainly hope so. We'll have enough food," I assured him. He smiled at me before clearing his throat.

"Jasper said that you can keep the cart for today. It'll make bringing the cake out easier."

"Good thinking," I agreed.

At that moment, Esme came in with garland wrapped all around her. I don't know what she was doing, but I do know she was instantly distracted by the cake.

"Oh, my god! It's more beautiful than I imagined! This is so wonderful!"

And she began to cry.

Which in turn, made me cry. I had been holding it in for days, but I became so overwhelmed that it finally came crashing through.

Seth ran quickly after that, not wanting to be around the crying women.

"Why are you crying?" She sniffled, her arm around my shoulder.

"Why are you?" I countered, laughing through my tears.

"I'm just so happy!" She said, squeezing my shoulder before coughing to clear her throat. "Okay, we can't be standing around here doing nothing! We need to get this garland up. We're almost done decorating, and then we can help with the food before we go get ready ourselves."

At three o'clock more people began to arrive, filling up the yard with cars. Food was piled everywhere. My stomach began to protest the fact I did not have lunch, but I ignored it as I got ready.

"Knock, knock," Alice cooed outside the bathroom door. "You need some help in there?"

I opened the door and pulled her in with me. "Hey! How do I look?" I asked as I fluffed up my hair and did a little turn. "Do I look okay?"

"Is someone a bit nervous?" She asked with a giggle. "Baby, you look great. Where do you have the ring hid?"

"In my pocket," I said, patting the side of my skirt. "Oh, my god. I'm about to propose to the man I love in front of hundreds of people. What if he says no?"

"Don't be stupid," she scoffed. "He won't say no. Bella, he wants to marry you."

I gave one last look in the mirror as I reapplied my lipstick. Along with the ring, there was a wad of tissue in my pocket, just in case I cried again. Or Esme cried. Or if anyone cried. I was, at the very least, prepared for tears.

When it came close to the time Edward was to arrive with Jasper and Emmett, we sent the kids in the house so they would be quiet. Charlie went with them, Bridget clutching his hand and clucking away about having her own surprise party. Tanya was our lookout.

When Emmett's car pulled up, she came around back and yelled that it was time. Silence spread across the massive crowd. It was rather impressive actually.

I heard Edward's voice first.

"Would you bloody fucking let me go?" He complained, his feet scuffling across the grass. "This is insanity."

The blindfold was firmly pulled across his eyes, a large thick black piece of fabric. Jasper had his arms behind his back like he was being arrested. Emmett was leading him forward towards where I stood facing the crowd. His mother and father, along with his grandparents, were standing in the front row.

"You better watch your language," Emmett teased. "You might be going to a church."

"I highly doubt that. More like a strip club or maybe Mexico," he said, stumbling forward when his feet hit the wooden dance floor. Jasper kept him from falling on his face. "Come on, guys. I've got a special date tonight. How do you think Bella is going to feel about this?"

At about that time he came to stand beside me. I moved behind him just as the boys let him go. Whispering in his ear softly I said, "who's idea do you think it was?"

And I removed the blindfold, the signal for everyone to yell surprise. He jumped back in shock, his mouth hanging open as he looked over the crowd.

"Wow," is all he muttered.

He was instantly surrounded, arms going around him in all directions. There were kisses passed around as he greeted the family he rarely got to see but loved so much. There were tears as well, Esme's, of course, but also Edward's.

Finally, he pulled away and turned to look at me. "You did this?"

"Yes," I said slowly, biting my bottom lip. "Is that okay?"

He grabbed my face and kissed me soundly. "This is... Oh, my god," Edward pressed his forehead against mine as his hands held my face. "This is... you are... unbelievable. You are amazing."

"I just gave them the idea, they ran with it," I laughed, motioning towards his family.

He shook his head and kissed me again. I swallowed thickly, blinking back my tears. But our moment was ruined by my stomach growling loudly. Edward laughed, hugging me tightly. "I think someone's hungry."

"I think we've got the perfect fix for that," Elizabeth, Edward's grandmother cooed. "Come on, baby. We've got all your favorites and twenty times more."

We ate dinner outside, large fans sending a gentle breeze through the tent. We sat at a table with his grandparents, parents, and my father. We talked and laughed and ate way too much. Music was playing in the background, kids in the middle of the dance floor already getting down. They were so cute.

After everyone finished and cleared the plates, Esme signaled to me that it was time to do the cake. I pulled Edward up to his feet and to the middle of the dance floor so that we were standing in front of everyone. The DJ handed me a microphone just in case I needed it.

I was sure I did. Because I knew this was my moment.

"I hope you guys don't expect me to open all the gifts right now. We'll be here all night," Edward shouted, making everyone laugh.

I smiled, taking my boyfriend's hand. "No no. We have more important matters at hand."

"Like dessert!" Someone yelled from the crowd, another round of laughter going through.

Just then Jasper brought the cart out from where it was hidden in the kitchen with the giant cake. Several white candles were arranged on the top, burning already. "Happy birthday," I whispered in his ear as everyone began to sing to him. Just as they finished, the cake came to stand right in front of him. Jasper moved out of the way so everyone could watch him blow out the candles.

"I don't know what to wish for," Edward laughed, sniffling as he wiped a tear away from his cheek. "I've got everything I could have ever wished for. Thank you so much, everyone, for doing this for me."

"Just blow out the candles!" A female voice said from the crowd. It was Rosalie. He smiled at her gratefully for breaking up his emotional moment. He leaned down and blew hard.

They all went out with a single breath. A round of applause broke out.

"Okay, so before we cut the cake-" I began but was interrupted by Emmett.

"Hey, some of us have cranky pregnant women to feed!" He teased. I laughed as his mother popped him against the back of the head like a naughty puppy.

"Be patient! I promise you'll get cake in a minute, Emmett," I rolled my eyes dramatically, the crowd snickering. "First off, I want to thank every one of you for helping me do this for this wonderful man standing beside me. Since he came into my life less than a year ago, he's changed my life dramatically. I am so much happier than I ever thought I would be. And I know that we've," I looked at Edward meaningfully, his eyes trained on me, "haven't always done things in the right order or the right way. And well, I thought... well, hey, why would I break with _our_ tradition?"

I dropped down on one knee in front of him. Any sounds the crowd was making beforehand stopped. Everyone was curious about what I was doing, except for Alice and Jasper who knew what was coming.

"So, I was hoping that..." I took a deep breath and pulled out the ring from my pocket, "Edward, will you marry me?"

A sharp collective intake of breath could be heard as the seconds ticked by. Edward looked down at me with wide eyes and his mouth hanging open. I would have paid anything to know what he was thinking at the moment.

"On one condition," he said slowly.

"What?" I said, my hands shaking as I felt embarrassment sweep over me. _Perhaps I should have waited for us to have the talk._ Doubt filled me.

That was until Edward dropped down onto his knees in front of me and pulled out a box from his pocket.

"You wear my ring. I do want to do _some_ things the right way."

He opened the blue box and inside was a gorgeous single diamond on a silver colored band. I let out a nervous laugh as tears rolled down my cheeks. I then, with almost no grace at all, tackled him to the floor as I kissed him.

"Yes! Of course!" I squealed.

I heard the noise around me, of course, but nothing in my world was more important than Edward. We kissed and kissed before finally sitting up. He brought the ring from the box and slipped it onto my left hand. He pulled me to my feet, hugging me close to his body.

"So, did you guys know this was coming?" Edward asked the crowd, his chin resting on the top of my head.

"We did!" Emmett said with a wild smile, pointing to him and Jasper.

"Warning would have been nice," he mumbled, kissing the top of my head.

"When did you get the ring?" I asked, looking up at him adoringly. "It's perfect."

"Well," he said, looking over at Jasper and Emmett. "I thought perhaps we could have that marriage talk during dinner tonight and I wanted to be prepared to propose to you right then and there. We got the ring after lunch. And I am certainly glad we did."

After that a flurry of people surrounded us. There were hugs and kisses all around this time. My father squeezed through the group, pulling me into a big hug. "I guess the boy didn't need my blessing after all," he laughed into my hair.

"Was that what you were talking about during the game?" I asked quietly. He just nodded, giving me a squeeze before I felt another pair of arms pull me back. I turned in Edward's arms, kissing him lightly on the lips. "No wonder you didn't tell me."

"Well, I was trying to do it the right way," he laughed, taking in a deep breath. "Hm, well, did you help Jasper with the cake? Did you get to scratch that off your list as well?"

"The list doesn't matter anymore." I shook my head, looking up at him. "But yes, I did help make it."

He was thoughtful for a moment. "It does matter. It brought me to you. I will always be grateful for that."

"Alright, you two," Rosalie said as she waddled over to the cake with a knife and a plate. "You can be mushy somewhere else. The pregnant woman is getting cake."

"Sounds good to me," Edward laughed as he held onto my hand. Bridget ran over to me and tugged on my dress to get my attention. I assumed she wanted a piece of cake, but I was wrong.

"Are you getting married? Are you and Edward going to live happily ever after now?" She asked with wide glittering eyes. "Like in a fairy tale?"

Apparently, I wasn't the only one that heard the question. My fiance knelt down in front of the girl so he could answer her. "Yes. Yes, it absolutely does. Bella and I are going to live happily ever after."

And I knew, without a doubt, that he was right.

**The End**

**So there is. There is an epilogue as well. There are some outtakes as well. Add me to your author alerts to keep an eye out for those. I'm going to take a little break after I finish this though. **

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	44. Chapter 44

**On My List **

I felt his warm breath and soft lips trailing down the center of my bare chest before I even opened my eyes to see what he was doing. Edward rolled down the blanket, his smile evident against my skin.

I was warm. I was safe. And I was very comfortable in _our_ bed.

"Good morning, Mrs. Cullen," my Englishman said in a practical purr. It was absolutely the sexiest sound I had ever heard. But, I had to correct him.

"You can't say that until tomorrow," I said, not opening my eyes but I smiled nonetheless. I could feel his matching smile against the underside of my breast just before his long tongue teased its way upwards.

"True, true. I'm just practicing."

Practicing had become our favorite word lately. Especially practicing for the honeymoon. The phrase sent chills up my spine and right back down to my probably overworked lady bits.

Overworked but well loved.

He moved his tongue gently over the swell of my breast before dragging it downwards once again. I moaned softly, one of my hands resting on the back of his neck.

"Perhaps we should save this for tomorrow night," I breathed, but he just chuckled, ignoring my suggestion.

"Mm, no. I don't think I could wait that long. No, ma'am. If I don't have you right now, I might have to sneak into your dressing room before the ceremony tomorrow and have you."

"Have me?" I laughed at his wording. "You know, it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding."

"You can blindfold me. Hell, tight me up too. I won't see a thing."

"Oh, sounds kinky," I laughed. "I wonder how we could pull that off."

It was something nice to dream about, but I knew it wasn't going to happen. Esme and Renee were stuck on me like fricking glue. As was Alice. We probably didn't have much alone time left before the day's activities began. Rehearsal dinner, but not before my _special_ brunch. Neither were my idea.

Suddenly I felt like I needed to take the most advantage of my time.

I pushed Edward squarely onto his back and straddled his waist. He groaned as I took charge, my nails dragging against his chest. His eyes rolled into the back of his head, his erection jerking against my thighs.

"Where did this come from?" He asked with a strained voice. I grabbed him firmly in my hand as I slid down onto his hardness. "Oh, fuck..."

"I suddenly realized that I wouldn't get to _practice_ tonight and I wanted to get a little in before we have to see our families."

"Oh, baby, uh... Bella, I love the way you think," he half chuckled, half groaned, as his hands went to my waist. I rolled my hips as I moved up and down on him at a steady pace. I balanced myself on his chest with the palms of my hands, my fingers digging into his skin. With each stroke he rubbed the perfect spot, teasing me to an edge which I was already dangerously close to.

"Oh, fuck... damn..." I whimpered as Edward forced me down a bit harder, skin slapping against skin with a wet smacking thud. "Hell yes!"

Okay, so I didn't cross off cleaning up my language off my list. And I didn't finish it up completely. I didn't grow any sort of plant either. It wasn't for a lack of trying. I tried to plant a vine and let's just say it didn't live a week. After that, I gave up. I had more pressing matters at hand. Planning a wedding took a lot of time and energy. Or at least, that was my excuse, and I was sticking to it.

I did, however, cross off the new dish a week. Sometimes I skipped a week, and other times I made three new things in a single day. I decided it was best to average and it was officially crossed off the list the night before.

Edward's thumb dragged over my clit, making me come back to the present with a powerful thrust. I jerked against him, barely able to keep moving as a mindblowing orgasm racked my body. He finished a moment after, a sound of pure relief falling from his lips.

I fell against his chest, resting my forehead against the crook his neck. His arms wrapped around me, snuggling me tight.

"Happy birthday, love," Edward breathed softly, playing with my hair.

My life had come full circle in a single year.

A year before I wondered where my husband was. But now I knew exactly where he was. He was in our bed with his strong arms around me.

I was all alone a year before. Over the next two days, I would be spending time with every single person I had ever met. I would have a birthday brunch with our family, and rehearsal dinner with all my friends and family after that. And then, September fourteenth, an exact year after I met Edward, I would be marrying him in a church in front of over four hundred people.

So much for my small wedding. Luckily for me, all I had to do was sit back and put on the dress at that point. Renee, Esme, and Alice were taking care of everything. And Phil and Charlie we paying for it, despite my annoyance.

Actually, Phil was paying for the wedding. Charlie was paying for the honeymoon. Wherever it was. I had no idea. He was working with Edward to keep it a secret. He even had Alice pack my trunks for the two weeks we would be away.

The mystery was driving me crazy. I guess it was my punishment for surprising Edward in such a big way on his birthday. I didn't mind it though.

"In two hours the madness begins," Edward said in a quiet voice.

"I know."

"How are your feet?"

I knew exactly what he was talking about and it certainly wasn't the temperature. "They're nice and toasty," I assured him. "Yours?"

"On fire," he laughed.

"Would you like to fly to Vegas instead?" I offered with a giggle. "Elope and piss everyone off."

"And have your father shoot me? Well, only if my mother doesn't get to me first? I think not, my love. I'm sorry, but I'll be waiting for you at the end of the aisle."

"Hm, okay," I said, turning my face to the side and lightly kissing his chin. "If we must. I'd rather just get to the honeymoon part."

I expected more wandering hands and kisses after that, but instead, he was really quiet. So quiet that it made me nervous. I rolled over, imploring with my eyes for him to tell me what was wrong. He gave me a small smile, running his fingers through my hair. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"I was wondering... I mean, I know we haven't talked about it yet, but I thought it was about time that we talkedaboutbabies..." he said the last part in a rush, ripping it off like a band-aid so to speak.

Ever since Rosalie had her daughters about six weeks before, yes plural, I could tell Edward was itching to have this conversation. The second girl, the girl they didn't know about, was high in Rosalie's ribcage so that they couldn't see her. They didn't know she was coming until she was _coming_. It was a surprise to everyone, especially the doctors. With all this technology, you would think things like that wouldn't happen anymore.

Emmett and Rosalie had needed a lot of help adjusting. They certainly got it, from their entire family, but especially from Edward.

In fact, Edward had decided that he couldn't take the music business anymore and took a break so he could help. While on his break, Jasper convinced him to become the manager of the new bakery he was opening. His second store in a year. That's how well it was doing. He was projecting within a year of opening the second store he would begin planning on opening another one in Fort Worth.

And in all three stores, he would be selling Edward's jams and such. He called the brand Dulce Bella. It embarrassed me incredibly, but he wasn't going to be moved on the name. Trust me, I tried.

It was a great move honestly for Edward. He enjoyed cooking, and he would be working with his friends. Also, he would be making about twenty-five thousand more a year. I imagined Jasper was paying Edward a bit more than what was normal, but I wasn't going to say a word. My husband would begin about a week after we came back from our honeymoon, helping Jasper to set up the new store.

And I would begin work on their new website. But, that was something I would have to think about later because I had more important matters to deal with first.

"What about babies?" I said with a smirk, dragging my fingers over his jaw.

"Do you..." He trailed off nervously.

"Do I what?"

"Do you want to try? I mean, to have babies. I know that you like the kids, but I'm not even sure how many you'd like. I would like two or three, but I mean if you just want one that's fine. I'll be happy just being with you but I know we got the spare bedroom for possible kids and-" I covered his mouth with my hand, laughing at his nervous rambling.

It was one of my favorite things about my Edward, my love.

I moved my fingers from his lips and pressed mine to his softly. His cheeks were slightly flushed, his dark green eyes practically glowing in the early morning light.

How could I not want a baby with those beautiful green eyes?

"Edward, let's just say it's on my list..."

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